Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Coquimbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Coquimbo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $589 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $978 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,367 in Coquimbo.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 122% more expensive than in Coquimbo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Coquimbo 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$7.29 CLP 6,857

64.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$47.64 CLP 44.8K

-0.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.34 CLP 5,963

85.33%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.83 CLP 3,600

7.57%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.19 CLP 1,123

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.09 CLP 1,030

-16.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$4.40 CLP 4,138

-27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.96 CLP 4,666

42.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.06 CLP 995

58.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.25 CLP 3,059

-33.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.26 CLP 1,190

40.48%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.73 CLP 2,565

3.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.40 CLP 7,909

9.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.41 CLP 1,326

109.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.88 CLP 1,766

-15.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.04 CLP 978

113.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.01 CLP 947

133.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.25 CLP 1,174

58.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.62 CLP 581

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.40 CLP 1,319

-13.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$5.38 CLP 5,063

-14.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.73 CLP 8,219

20.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.69 CLP 4,410

-40.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.87 CLP 820

-31.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.43 CLP 1,344

7.69%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.8K MX$386.8K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.8K MX$437.9K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$90.7 MX$1,538

$108 CLP 102.1K

-16.42%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.19 MX$427

$12.82 CLP 12.1K

96.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$26.94 CLP 25.4K

155.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$5.31 CLP 4,997

453.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.37 CLP 4,110

11.21%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$226 MX$3,828

$264 CLP 248.5K

-14.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$30.3K CLP 28.5M

-86.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$48.50 CLP 45.6K

-2.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$26.66 CLP 25.1K

62.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$64.4 CLP 60.6K

24.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$85.9 CLP 80.8K

6.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$631 CLP 594.0K

22.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

129.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Coquimbo: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $48.00 in Coquimbo. Groceries flip the comparison at $278 vs $160, with Coquimbo cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Coquimbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Coquimbo differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $589 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $264 in Coquimbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Coquimbo – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $589 in Coquimbo versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Coquimbo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Coquimbo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Coquimbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.