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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,130 in Puerto Varas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,704 in Puerto Varas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,278 in Puerto Varas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% 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 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$13.02 CLP 12.1K

-9.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$43.03 CLP 40.0K

-2.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.13 CLP 7,561

29.27%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.10 CLP 2,886

15.81%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.09 CLP 1,015

38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.88 CLP 818

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.29 CLP 3,064

-10.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.07 CLP 3,788

8.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.22 CLP 1,138

14.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.56 CLP 1,456

20.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.85 CLP 1,723

-15.68%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.49 CLP 3,246

-25.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.31 CLP 9,596

-19.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.59 CLP 6,133

26.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.15 CLP 10.4K

-2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.88 CLP 1,752

44.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.55 CLP 1,446

-2.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.55 CLP 1,439

20.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.44 CLP 1,342

52.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.27 CLP 1,185

46.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.35 CLP 1,256

65.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.27 CLP 1,179

-15.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.21 CLP 1,130

-9.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.24 CLP 4,873

-20.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$5.96 CLP 5,541

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.55 CLP 1,442

7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.33 CLP 2,169

12.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.62 CLP 573

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.48 CLP 446

541.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.43 CLP 1,330

-8.39%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.5K CLP 18.1M

53.12%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.2K CLP 19.7M

10.11%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$133 CLP 124.1K

-39.05%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$13.43 CLP 12.5K

67.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$22.14 CLP 20.6K

35.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$38.81 CLP 36.1K

36.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$21.65 CLP 20.1K

-15.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.55 CLP 5,162

-11.35%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$433 CLP 402.9K

-53.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

-29.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.74 CLP 28.6K

30.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$60.7 CLP 56.5K

31.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$80.9 CLP 75.3K

6.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$473 CLP 439.8K

106.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$379 CLP 352.5K

24.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$893 CLP 830.6K

84.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$596 CLP 554.5K

101.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$549 CLP 510.9K

23.23%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Puerto Varas: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $473 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 23% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $43.00 in Puerto Varas. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $229 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 12%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,695 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,130 in Puerto Varas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $433 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 $1,130, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.