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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,128 in Puerto Varas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,685 in Puerto Varas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,241 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 4% lower, Puerto Varas 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$12.71 CLP 11.4K

-6.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$42.94 CLP 38.5K

-0.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.12 CLP 7,276

30.42%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$3.17 CLP 2,835

14.20%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.04 CLP 934

41.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.90 CLP 809

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$3.21 CLP 2,874

-3.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$4.07 CLP 3,648

9.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.17 CLP 1,046

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.52 CLP 1,358

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.92 CLP 1,717

-15.10%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.58 CLP 3,210

-26.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$10.57 CLP 9,471

-22.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$6.64 CLP 5,946

24.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$10.84 CLP 9,711

2.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.87 CLP 1,674

41.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.53 CLP 1,369

-1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.58 CLP 1,413

25.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.46 CLP 1,311

42.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.27 CLP 1,139

40.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.34 CLP 1,201

62.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.26 CLP 1,128

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$1.17 CLP 1,044

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$5.40 CLP 4,840

-26.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$5.17 CLP 4,630

97.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.57 CLP 1,403

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.28 CLP 2,045

9.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.62 CLP 558

-16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.48 CLP 427

554.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.39 CLP 1,243

-8.63%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$19.9K CLP 17.8M

54.99%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$21.6K CLP 19.3M

8.07%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$131 CLP 117.5K

-37.47%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$13.61 CLP 12.2K

64.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$21.56 CLP 19.3K

37.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$38.03 CLP 34.1K

36.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$20.88 CLP 18.7K

-10.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$5.55 CLP 4,968

-10.45%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$428 CLP 383.8K

-53.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$51.4 CLP 46.1K

-29.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$30.01 CLP 26.9K

33.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$62.8 CLP 56.2K

27.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$81.8 CLP 73.2K

8.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$490 CLP 438.5K

96.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$379 CLP 339.9K

22.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$885 CLP 792.6K

80.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$599 CLP 536.6K

101.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$573 CLP 513.5K

25.67%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Puerto Varas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $490 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 26% 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 $43.00 in Puerto Varas. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $227 in Puerto Varas – so Puerto Varas wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,692 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,128 in Puerto Varas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $428 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 $1,128, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.