😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,023 in Chillan.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,506 in Chillan.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,990 in Chillan.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 26% more expensive than Chillan, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Chillan24% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Chillan
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$5.52CLP 4,907
116.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$26.86CLP 23.9K
59.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$6.14CLP 5,457
72.48%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$3.10CLP 2,753
16.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.96CLP 851
53.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.89CLP 795
5.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$3.61CLP 3,213
-14.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$4.11CLP 3,652
8.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Chillan
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.15CLP 1,026
24.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.77CLP 1,571
6.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.90CLP 1,693
-14.21%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$3.74CLP 3,326
-29.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$7.64CLP 6,793
7.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$6.56CLP 5,837
26.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$11.08CLP 9,853
0.18%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$1.87CLP 1,659
41.71%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.52CLP 1,351
-1.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.58CLP 1,401
25.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.44CLP 1,284
44.44%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.27CLP 1,131
40.94%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.35CLP 1,205
61.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.23CLP 1,090
-12.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$1.22CLP 1,081
-14.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$5.37CLP 4,778
-26.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$3.66CLP 3,250
178.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.56CLP 1,384
10.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.29CLP 2,039
9.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Chillan
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.67CLP 592
-22.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$0.50CLP 447
528.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.37CLP 1,221
-7.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$12.5KCLP 11.2M
146.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$15.8KCLP 14.0M
47.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Chillan
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$133CLP 118.6K
-38.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$13.30CLP 11.8K
68.80%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$24.58CLP 21.9K
20.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Chillan
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$16.61CLP 14.8K
212.28%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$20.94CLP 18.6K
-10.84%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$12.07CLP 10.7K
-58.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Chillan
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$428CLP 380.6K
-53.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Chillan
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$51.6CLP 45.9K
-29.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$29.72CLP 26.4K
34.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$50.2CLP 44.6K
59.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$67.2CLP 59.8K
32.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Chillan
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$484CLP 430.6K
98.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$368CLP 326.8K
26.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$465CLP 413.2K
243.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$589CLP 523.4K
105.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$2,579CLP 2.3M
149.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Chillan
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$732CLP 651.1K
-1.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
5.18
120.46%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Chillan: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $484 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Chillan pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Chillan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $218 per month, with Chillan cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Chillan: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Chillan?
Playa del Carmen and Chillan differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,023 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Chillan earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Chillan?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $484 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Chillan?
All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,023 in Chillan – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,023 in Chillan versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chillan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chillan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Chillan?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Chillan?
Expats usually find Chillan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado