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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $952 in Curico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,404 in Curico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,857 in Curico.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 32% more expensive than in Curico, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Curico 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.80 CLP 4,469

144.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$32.79 CLP 30.5K

27.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.43 CLP 6,913

41.45%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.29 CLP 3,057

9.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.59 CLP 1,477

-5.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.07 CLP 991

-14.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.21 CLP 2,988

-7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.58 CLP 3,331

23.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.22 CLP 1,137

14.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.54 CLP 1,430

22.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.92 CLP 1,787

-18.75%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.27 CLP 2,112

14.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.39 CLP 9,667

-19.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.61 CLP 6,155

26.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.88 CLP 10.1K

-0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.11 CLP 1,961

28.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.57 CLP 1,459

-3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.05 CLP 1,909

-8.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.88 CLP 1,747

16.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.95 CLP 1,816

-4.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.70 CLP 1,581

31.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.29 CLP 1,198

-17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.94 CLP 873

15.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.83 CLP 5,425

-28.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.15 CLP 5,718

69.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.62 CLP 1,508

2.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.60 CLP 2,417

0.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.58 CLP 543

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.51 CLP 473

503.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.45 CLP 1,349

65.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$11.61 CLP 10.8K

-73.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.41 CLP 1,316

-7.09%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.7K CLP 18.3M

51.67%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$22.8K CLP 21.2M

2.24%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$134 CLP 124.9K

-39.46%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$10.90 CLP 10.1K

106.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$21.80 CLP 20.3K

37.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$39.07 CLP 36.3K

35.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$21.29 CLP 19.8K

-13.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.42 CLP 5,973

-23.36%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$439 CLP 408.1K

-54.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,696 CLP 8.1M

-40.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$54.7 CLP 50.9K

-34.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$32.52 CLP 30.3K

23.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$37.52 CLP 34.9K

112.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$49.44 CLP 46.0K

74.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$444 CLP 413.4K

120.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$299 CLP 277.9K

57.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$621 CLP 577.9K

165.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$400 CLP 371.8K

201.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$474 CLP 440.7K

42.85%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Curico: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $444 in Curico. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 43% 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 $33.00 in Curico for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $230 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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 43% 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 $444 in Curico. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $439 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 $33.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $952 in Curico versus $1,260 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 32% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.