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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,063 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,657 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,251 in Iquique.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 22% more expensive than in Iquique, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$7.96 CLP 7,408

47.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$43.56 CLP 40.5K

6.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.42 CLP 6,902

57.01%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.54 CLP 3,296

15.54%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.30 CLP 1,213

5.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.05 CLP 973

-20.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$3.33 CLP 3,094

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.72 CLP 3,462

85.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.17 CLP 1,091

47.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.22 CLP 1,134

85.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.37 CLP 1,279

29.20%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$3.14 CLP 2,922

-13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$10.51 CLP 9,777

-12.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$10.80 CLP 10.0K

-17.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.42 CLP 2,251

24.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.24 CLP 2,089

-29.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.64 CLP 1,524

29.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$1.09 CLP 1,011

107.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.77 CLP 715

159.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$0.66 CLP 610

212.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.10 CLP 1,024

7.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.41 CLP 1,314

-14.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$7.42 CLP 6,901

-37.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$8.10 CLP 7,537

31.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$0.82 CLP 767

251.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.73 CLP 680

-21.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.46 CLP 1,362

6.16%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$92.0 CLP 85.6K

-3.09%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$15.79 CLP 14.7K

58.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$24.70 CLP 23.0K

27.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$53.1 CLP 49.4K

27.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$7.32 CLP 6,810

-31.01%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$271 CLP 252.1K

-16.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$31.86 CLP 29.6K

48.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$24.23 CLP 22.5K

85.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$47.84 CLP 44.5K

71.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$60.9 CLP 56.7K

51.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$449 CLP 417.9K

138.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$407 CLP 378.4K

-0.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$710 CLP 660.8K

172.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$801 CLP 745.4K

62.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,787 CLP 1.7M

123.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$2,057 CLP 1.9M

222.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$972 CLP 904.1K

-22.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.5

52.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Iquique: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $449 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $208 per month, with Iquique 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 Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Iquique differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,293 vs $1,063 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 30% 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $449 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,063 in Iquique – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,293 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.