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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,045 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,709 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,374 in Iquique.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 24% more expensive than Iquique, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Iquique 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.01 CLP 7,170

46.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$42.47 CLP 38.0K

-2.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.18 CLP 6,425

48.19%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.68 CLP 3,294

-4.35%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.30 CLP 1,165

16.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.02 CLP 912

-4.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.50 CLP 3,130

-15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.75 CLP 3,358

18.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.16 CLP 1,037

18.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.17 CLP 1,050

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.37 CLP 1,229

19.71%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.58 CLP 3,199

-29.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.59 CLP 9,476

-21.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.58 CLP 5,886

26.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.97 CLP 9,817

-2.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.82 CLP 1,632

42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.27 CLP 2,029

-35.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.58 CLP 1,414

20.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.11 CLP 997

87.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.82 CLP 735

117.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.63 CLP 562

247.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.22 CLP 1,090

-14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.19 CLP 1,063

-9.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$5.30 CLP 4,739

-23.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.38 CLP 7,497

23.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.56 CLP 1,394

9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.30 CLP 2,055

12.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.68 CLP 608

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.51 CLP 457

539.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.43 CLP 1,276

-8.39%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$19.4K CLP 17.3M

56.28%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$21.7K CLP 19.4M

8.19%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$81.7 CLP 73.1K

1.47%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$13.61 CLP 12.2K

63.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$22.34 CLP 20.0K

31.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$42.96 CLP 38.4K

20.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.01 CLP 18.8K

-12.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.54 CLP 4,953

-8.48%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$440 CLP 393.9K

-54.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$32.41 CLP 29.0K

13.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$24.37 CLP 21.8K

63.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$48.10 CLP 43.0K

63.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$61.7 CLP 55.2K

41.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$449 CLP 401.7K

116.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$388 CLP 347.3K

20.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$740 CLP 661.6K

121.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$839 CLP 750.5K

45.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,926 CLP 1.7M

104.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,137 CLP 1.9M

204.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,018 CLP 911.2K

-34.81%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Iquique: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $449 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 53% 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 $42.00 in Iquique. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $227, 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 24% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $1,045 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Iquique earns 53% less. 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: $973 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 10% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,045 in Iquique – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,045 in Iquique versus $1,297 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 24% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.