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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $977 in Curico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,423 in Curico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,870 in Curico.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 30% more expensive than Curico, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Curico 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.88 CLP 4,382

143.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$32.32 CLP 29.0K

32.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.41 CLP 6,663

43.72%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.16 CLP 2,843

9.18%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.64 CLP 1,478

-8.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.10 CLP 992

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.19 CLP 2,866

-5.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.56 CLP 3,196

29.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.24 CLP 1,116

11.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.52 CLP 1,365

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.93 CLP 1,731

-16.58%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.22 CLP 1,992

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.59 CLP 9,514

-22.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.61 CLP 5,940

26.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.00 CLP 9,882

-3.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.12 CLP 1,905

24.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.55 CLP 1,393

-3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.03 CLP 1,821

-5.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.84 CLP 1,655

13.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.93 CLP 1,732

-3.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.69 CLP 1,519

33.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.35 CLP 1,218

-21.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.98 CLP 881

11.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.60 CLP 5,030

-25.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.57 CLP 5,907

58.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.55 CLP 1,394

10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.51 CLP 2,253

3.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.58 CLP 522

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.48 CLP 430

552.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.43 CLP 1,285

75.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$11.37 CLP 10.2K

-72.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.37 CLP 1,235

-7.30%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

57.73%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$22.7K CLP 20.4M

3.91%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$133 CLP 119.3K

-37.46%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$10.94 CLP 9,828

107.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$21.37 CLP 19.2K

37.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$37.97 CLP 34.1K

34.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$20.96 CLP 18.8K

-12.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.60 CLP 5,930

-25.30%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$430 CLP 386.2K

-54.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,740 CLP 7.9M

-39.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$56.0 CLP 50.4K

-34.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$33.27 CLP 29.9K

19.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$38.35 CLP 34.5K

108.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$49.47 CLP 44.5K

80.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$447 CLP 401.7K

113.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$292 CLP 262.0K

63.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$619 CLP 555.9K

166.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$410 CLP 368.8K

198.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$479 CLP 430.5K

39.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

128.40%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Curico: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $447 in Curico. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 39% 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 $32.00 in Curico for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $231 per month, with Curico cheaper across the board.

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 Curico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Curico is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 39% 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $447 in Curico. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $430 in Curico. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Curico – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $977 in Curico versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Curico but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Curico the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Curico is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Curico gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.