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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $964 in Curico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,450 in Curico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,936 in Curico.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 31% more expensive than in Curico, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Curico 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.53 CLP 5,275

109.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$47.39 CLP 45.2K

-0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$9.05 CLP 8,637

31.27%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.49 CLP 3,331

14.04%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.73 CLP 1,652

-17.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.26 CLP 1,205

-34.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.88 CLP 2,750

10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.67 CLP 2,546

154.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.25 CLP 1,191

34.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.80 CLP 1,721

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.67 CLP 1,594

2.40%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.17 CLP 2,074

26.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.35 CLP 10.8K

-15.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.85 CLP 6,538

31.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.12 CLP 10.6K

15.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.09 CLP 1,995

38.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.65 CLP 1,573

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.74 CLP 1,663

23.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.81 CLP 1,726

24.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.15 CLP 1,098

72.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.59 CLP 1,518

25.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.27 CLP 1,213

-3.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.99 CLP 944

21.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$5.48 CLP 5,227

-16.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.28 CLP 5,996

65.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.61 CLP 1,539

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.57 CLP 2,455

12.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.78 CLP 744

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.44 CLP 422

1125.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.94 CLP 897

296.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$12.14 CLP 11.6K

-52.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.46 CLP 1,396

5.48%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$18.5K CLP 17.7M

21.86%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$22.3K CLP 21.2M

17.07%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$153 CLP 146.1K

-40.33%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$10.63 CLP 10.1K

137.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$20.73 CLP 19.8K

50.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$21.30 CLP 20.3K

215.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.75 CLP 7,394

-37.29%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$435 CLP 414.8K

-48.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$11.2K CLP 10.7M

-62.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$53.1 CLP 50.6K

-11.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$30.55 CLP 29.2K

44.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$38.08 CLP 36.3K

110.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$47.47 CLP 45.3K

95.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$434 CLP 413.9K

144.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$300 CLP 285.8K

30.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$634 CLP 605.4K

238.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$401 CLP 382.2K

217.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$480 CLP 457.7K

58.05%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Curico: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $434 in Curico. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 58% 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 $47.00 in Curico. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $233, with Curico 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 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 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 58% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $434 in Curico. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $435 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 $47.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $964 in Curico versus $1,266 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 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.