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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $473 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $794 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,115 in Puerto Montt, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 174% more than Puerto Montt, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Puerto Montt are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Puerto Montt 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$8.47 CLP 7,907

38.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$37.30 CLP 34.8K

24.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.45 CLP 6,958

56.38%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$2.86 CLP 2,670

43.01%

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

$1.37 MX$23.21

$0.94 CLP 882

45.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.08

$1.01 CLP 940

-17.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.16

$1.21 CLP 1,128

42.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.17

$2.67 CLP 2,491

-15.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.88

$1.47 CLP 1,370

20.41%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.14

$3.34 CLP 3,121

-18.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$11.82 CLP 11.0K

-22.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.03 CLP 5,629

47.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$7.55 CLP 7,048

66.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$1.06 CLP 989

184.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.52

$1.45 CLP 1,357

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.89

$2.70 CLP 2,525

-21.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.23

$1.85 CLP 1,729

22.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.84

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.86

$1.57 CLP 1,468

31.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.92

$1.38 CLP 1,285

-14.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.33

$1.58 CLP 1,477

-24.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$4.87 CLP 4,545

-4.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$5.77 CLP 5,385

85.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.35

$1.42 CLP 1,322

14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.65

$1.56 CLP 1,460

84.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.97 CLP 907

-41.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.23

$1.35 CLP 1,262

14.81%

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

$22.3K MX$377.0K

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

$25.9K MX$438.2K

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

$89.1 MX$1,505

$65.3 CLP 60.9K

36.58%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$11.59 CLP 10.8K

116.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$32.73 CLP 30.6K

-3.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

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

$225 MX$3,798

$148 CLP 138.1K

52.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$529 CLP 494.0K

102.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,844

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Puerto Montt: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $529 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Puerto Montt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $230 – 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 174%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $709 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $473 in Puerto Montt. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $148 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 $473, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.