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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $950 in Curico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,413 in Curico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,876 in Curico.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 35% more expensive than Curico, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Curico 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.74 CLP 4,217

151.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$32.23 CLP 28.7K

32.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.38 CLP 6,564

43.50%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.13 CLP 2,781

15.65%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.60 CLP 1,421

-8.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.09 CLP 972

-13.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.25 CLP 2,890

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.51 CLP 3,123

27.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.23 CLP 1,093

16.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.53 CLP 1,363

22.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.98 CLP 1,764

-17.68%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.29 CLP 2,033

15.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$10.33 CLP 9,189

-20.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.62 CLP 5,891

25.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.98 CLP 9,760

1.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.01 CLP 1,791

31.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.60 CLP 1,427

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.14 CLP 1,901

-7.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.94 CLP 1,728

7.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.93 CLP 1,721

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.66 CLP 1,480

31.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.31 CLP 1,161

-17.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.99 CLP 883

5.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.79 CLP 5,145

-31.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.54 CLP 5,811

55.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.61 CLP 1,431

7.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.47 CLP 2,193

1.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.58 CLP 519

-10.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.47 CLP 420

568.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.42 CLP 1,260

69.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$11.33 CLP 10.1K

-72.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.36 CLP 1,212

-6.62%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.7K CLP 17.5M

56.74%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$22.8K CLP 20.3M

2.26%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$135 CLP 119.7K

-39.05%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$10.87 CLP 9,663

106.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$21.30 CLP 18.9K

39.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$38.38 CLP 34.1K

35.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$20.88 CLP 18.6K

-10.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.62 CLP 5,882

-24.92%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$438 CLP 389.7K

-54.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,524 CLP 7.6M

-38.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$56.3 CLP 50.0K

-35.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$33.11 CLP 29.4K

20.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$37.57 CLP 33.4K

112.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$48.90 CLP 43.5K

81.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$442 CLP 393.4K

117.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$291 CLP 258.8K

59.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$631 CLP 561.5K

152.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$409 CLP 363.6K

195.60%

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

$500 CLP 444.4K

44.16%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Curico: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $442 in Curico. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 44% 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 $251 vs $232 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 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 44% 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 $442 in Curico. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $438 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 $950 in Curico versus $1,287 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 35% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.