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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,026 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,702 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,377 in Iquique.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 22% more expensive than in Iquique, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Iquique 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$8.01 CLP 7,463

49.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$43.94 CLP 40.9K

-4.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.21 CLP 6,718

49.10%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$3.58 CLP 3,336

-2.23%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.35 CLP 1,258

7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.02 CLP 951

-13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$3.48 CLP 3,244

-15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.71 CLP 3,456

21.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.20 CLP 1,119

19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.22 CLP 1,138

50.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.41 CLP 1,313

11.35%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$3.47 CLP 3,227

-27.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.42 CLP 9,703

-20.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.65 CLP 6,196

26.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

-1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.89 CLP 1,759

38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.39 CLP 2,223

-39.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.55 CLP 1,442

26.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.12 CLP 1,042

86.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.82 CLP 767

125.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.67 CLP 622

223.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.25 CLP 1,168

-17.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.18 CLP 1,095

-9.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$5.45 CLP 5,071

-24.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$8.20 CLP 7,636

24.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.54 CLP 1,434

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.30 CLP 2,138

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.67 CLP 620

-23.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.47 CLP 435

587.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.44 CLP 1,341

-8.33%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

50.12%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$21.3K CLP 19.8M

11.26%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$81.7 CLP 76.1K

0.33%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$13.37 CLP 12.5K

71.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$21.65 CLP 20.2K

39.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$42.71 CLP 39.8K

21.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$21.02 CLP 19.6K

-11.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$5.80 CLP 5,397

-14.14%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$440 CLP 409.8K

-55.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$31.76 CLP 29.6K

12.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$24.53 CLP 22.8K

64.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$48.65 CLP 45.3K

61.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$61.4 CLP 57.2K

44.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$438 CLP 408.0K

116.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$397 CLP 369.5K

19.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$757 CLP 705.4K

117.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$842 CLP 784.5K

43.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,812 CLP 1.7M

123.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$2,077 CLP 1.9M

211.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$1,004 CLP 934.9K

-34.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.5

52.27%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Iquique: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $438 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in Iquique. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $228, with Iquique 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 Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Iquique differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $1,026 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Iquique. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $438 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,026 in Iquique – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,026 in Iquique versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Iquique 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 Iquique gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.