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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,068 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,617 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,165 in Coquimbo.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 20% more expensive than Coquimbo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Coquimbo 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.59 CLP 7,642

39.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$43.78 CLP 38.9K

-2.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.91 CLP 7,030

33.88%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.70 CLP 2,405

34.07%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.35 CLP 1,200

8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.01 CLP 901

-6.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.19 CLP 2,841

-3.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.15 CLP 3,688

7.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.09 CLP 971

31.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.58 CLP 1,402

18.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.86 CLP 1,651

-12.37%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.51 CLP 3,121

-24.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$10.30 CLP 9,162

-20.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.50 CLP 5,779

27.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.07 CLP 9,845

0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.80 CLP 1,601

47.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.58 CLP 1,407

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.59 CLP 1,416

25.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.50 CLP 1,332

38.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.28 CLP 1,140

39.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.35 CLP 1,203

61.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.28 CLP 1,135

-15.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.17 CLP 1,043

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.36 CLP 4,763

-25.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.14 CLP 8,131

11.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.57 CLP 1,396

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.20 CLP 1,961

13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.62 CLP 549

-16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.51 CLP 454

515.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.39 CLP 1,233

-8.63%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

60.06%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$21.3K CLP 18.9M

9.53%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$134 CLP 119.3K

-38.88%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$13.41 CLP 11.9K

67.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$21.84 CLP 19.4K

35.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$38.75 CLP 34.5K

33.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$21.16 CLP 18.8K

-11.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.81 CLP 5,171

-14.46%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$431 CLP 383.3K

-54.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$50.0 CLP 44.5K

-27.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$29.98 CLP 26.7K

33.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$61.8 CLP 54.9K

29.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$83.0 CLP 73.8K

7.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$472 CLP 419.4K

104.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$372 CLP 330.6K

25.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$878 CLP 780.4K

81.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$584 CLP 519.6K

106.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$661 CLP 587.7K

9.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.18

120.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Coquimbo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $472 in Coquimbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 9% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in Coquimbo. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $233, 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 20% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,068 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 9% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $472 in Coquimbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $431 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 $44.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,068 in Coquimbo versus $1,287 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 20% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.