Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Puerto Montt Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Puerto Montt

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,068 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,624 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,179 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 18% more than Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Puerto Montt are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Puerto Montt 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$8.71 CLP 8,134

37.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$37.05 CLP 34.6K

12.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.76 CLP 7,248

38.53%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.84 CLP 2,656

23.24%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.01 CLP 947

43.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.99 CLP 921

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.27 CLP 3,054

-9.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.08 CLP 3,807

10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.20 CLP 1,123

19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.52 CLP 1,417

21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.86 CLP 1,736

-15.59%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.31 CLP 3,086

-24.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$12.01 CLP 11.2K

-31.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.85 CLP 6,392

23.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.17 CLP 10.4K

-4.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.80 CLP 1,680

45.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.42 CLP 1,327

1.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.53 CLP 1,425

28.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.93 CLP 1,797

8.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.24 CLP 1,162

49.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.35 CLP 1,264

60.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.31 CLP 1,223

-21.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.60 CLP 1,498

-33.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.81 CLP 4,492

-14.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.99 CLP 5,589

69.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.49 CLP 1,393

12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.23 CLP 2,083

13.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.63 CLP 585

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.48 CLP 445

572.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.36 CLP 1,270

-2.94%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

51.31%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.4K CLP 19.9M

10.79%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$130 CLP 121.6K

-37.05%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$11.83 CLP 11.0K

94.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$22.29 CLP 20.8K

35.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$37.86 CLP 35.3K

37.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$21.51 CLP 20.1K

-13.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.72 CLP 5,337

-12.94%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$437 CLP 408.2K

-54.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$49.83 CLP 46.5K

-28.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.91 CLP 27.9K

34.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$61.7 CLP 57.6K

27.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$83.5 CLP 77.9K

6.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$485 CLP 453.1K

95.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$376 CLP 351.4K

25.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$899 CLP 839.1K

82.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$589 CLP 549.9K

105.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.18

120.46%

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 Puerto Montt: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $485 in Puerto Montt. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Puerto Montt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $240 – making Puerto Montt the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Puerto Montt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,603 in Puerto Montt. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Montt, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,068 in Puerto Montt. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $437 in Puerto Montt. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Montt, where all-in costs run around $1,068, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Puerto Montt it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Montt – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Puerto Montt. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.