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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,068 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,654 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,241 in Coquimbo.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 18% more expensive than in Coquimbo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Coquimbo 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$8.81 CLP 8,213

33.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$44.27 CLP 41.3K

-5.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.15 CLP 7,606

28.96%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.84 CLP 2,650

26.41%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.34 CLP 1,250

12.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$1.02 CLP 951

-9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$3.29 CLP 3,068

-10.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$4.25 CLP 3,961

3.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.05 CLP 982

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.50 CLP 1,401

25.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.95 CLP 1,819

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$3.54 CLP 3,305

-26.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$10.62 CLP 9,907

-21.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$6.58 CLP 6,141

26.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$10.87 CLP 10.1K

-0.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.82 CLP 1,699

48.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.52 CLP 1,421

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.54 CLP 1,433

21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.50 CLP 1,403

46.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.24 CLP 1,154

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.35 CLP 1,256

65.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.21 CLP 1,132

-11.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$1.24 CLP 1,152

-12.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$5.55 CLP 5,177

-24.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$5.69 CLP 5,308

83.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.54 CLP 1,440

7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.23 CLP 2,080

17.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.59 CLP 547

-8.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.48 CLP 448

541.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.42 CLP 1,326

-7.75%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$19.3K CLP 18.0M

54.67%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$21.1K CLP 19.7M

10.53%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$133 CLP 123.8K

-38.77%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$13.63 CLP 12.7K

65.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$21.86 CLP 20.4K

37.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$38.84 CLP 36.2K

36.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$21.51 CLP 20.1K

-14.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$5.53 CLP 5,154

-11.03%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$433 CLP 403.9K

-53.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$50.1 CLP 46.7K

-28.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$30.06 CLP 28.0K

33.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$60.8 CLP 56.7K

31.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$81.7 CLP 76.2K

5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$484 CLP 451.7K

101.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$367 CLP 342.2K

28.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$879 CLP 819.6K

87.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$583 CLP 544.2K

106.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$641 CLP 598.3K

5.49%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Coquimbo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $484 in Coquimbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 5% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in Coquimbo. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $226, 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $1,068 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $484 in Coquimbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $433 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,068 in Coquimbo versus $1,260 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 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.