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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,112 in Puerto Varas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,698 in Puerto Varas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,285 in Puerto Varas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Puerto Varas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Puerto Varas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Puerto Varas 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$12.75 CLP 11.5K

-6.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$42.45 CLP 38.2K

1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.28 CLP 7,443

28.62%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.04 CLP 2,729

13.49%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.04 CLP 937

44.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.82 CLP 741

15.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.19 CLP 2,864

-5.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.08 CLP 3,668

12.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.16 CLP 1,047

18.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.49 CLP 1,343

24.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.95 CLP 1,754

-17.44%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.43 CLP 3,081

-24.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.50 CLP 9,438

-21.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.54 CLP 5,882

27.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.13 CLP 10.0K

-4.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.90 CLP 1,711

38.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.51 CLP 1,354

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.51 CLP 1,361

27.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.51 CLP 1,355

38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.23 CLP 1,105

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.35 CLP 1,214

67.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.23 CLP 1,104

-13.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.16 CLP 1,047

-6.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.26 CLP 4,726

-21.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.93 CLP 5,327

75.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.55 CLP 1,395

10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.30 CLP 2,070

13.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.62 CLP 554

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.47 CLP 420

565.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.42 CLP 1,275

-10.56%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$19.5K CLP 17.5M

55.62%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$21.1K CLP 19.0M

11.62%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$133 CLP 119.6K

-37.61%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$13.57 CLP 12.2K

67.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$22.00 CLP 19.8K

33.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$37.87 CLP 34.0K

34.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$21.41 CLP 19.2K

-14.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.70 CLP 5,124

-13.51%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$436 CLP 391.5K

-54.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$50.2 CLP 45.1K

-26.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$30.84 CLP 27.7K

29.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$60.5 CLP 54.4K

32.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$82.5 CLP 74.2K

8.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$485 CLP 436.2K

97.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$369 CLP 331.5K

29.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$877 CLP 787.7K

87.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$603 CLP 541.5K

103.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$575 CLP 516.5K

16.06%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Puerto Varas: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $485 in Puerto Varas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Puerto Varas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $227 – making Puerto Varas 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 Varas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,668 in Puerto Varas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Varas, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,112 in Puerto Varas. 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 $436 in Puerto Varas. 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 Varas, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Puerto Varas 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 Varas – 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 Varas. 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.