Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Pedro de Atacama Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Pedro de Atacama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,056 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,635 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,214 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than San Pedro de Atacama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Pedro de Atacama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, San Pedro de Atacama 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.24 CLP 6,505

63.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$44.39 CLP 39.9K

-3.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.77 CLP 6,984

37.07%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.73 CLP 2,451

26.37%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.63 CLP 1,467

-7.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.16 CLP 1,042

-18.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.46 CLP 3,107

-12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.99 CLP 3,586

15.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.24 CLP 1,116

11.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.47 CLP 1,323

25.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.68 CLP 1,510

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.65 CLP 3,280

-29.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.95 CLP 8,944

-16.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.59 CLP 5,920

27.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.42 CLP 10.3K

-6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.97 CLP 1,768

33.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.55 CLP 1,395

-3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.73 CLP 1,550

10.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.68 CLP 1,512

24.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.64 CLP 1,478

13.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.48 CLP 1,333

52.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.36 CLP 1,219

-22.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.23 CLP 1,106

-11.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.06 CLP 4,551

-17.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.13 CLP 4,608

102.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.54 CLP 1,386

11.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.17 CLP 1,947

20.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.57 CLP 513

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.70 CLP 629

347.14%

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

$1.38 CLP 1,244

-7.97%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$17.5K CLP 15.7M

73.90%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$19.4K CLP 17.4M

21.58%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$134 CLP 120.7K

-38.20%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$13.60 CLP 12.2K

66.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$21.88 CLP 19.7K

34.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$38.82 CLP 34.9K

31.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$22.92 CLP 20.6K

-20.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.41 CLP 4,865

-8.87%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$385 CLP 345.8K

-48.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$47.05 CLP 42.3K

-21.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$24.53 CLP 22.0K

62.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$60.9 CLP 54.7K

31.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$81.6 CLP 73.3K

9.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$475 CLP 426.8K

101.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$374 CLP 336.3K

27.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$889 CLP 798.8K

85.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$593 CLP 532.8K

106.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,364 CLP 2.1M

65.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.01

127.94%

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 San Pedro de Atacama: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $475 in San Pedro de Atacama. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $230 in San Pedro de Atacama – so San Pedro de Atacama 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 San Pedro de Atacama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 20%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,584 in San Pedro de Atacama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Pedro de Atacama, 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 $1,056 in San Pedro de Atacama. 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 $385 in San Pedro de Atacama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Pedro de Atacama, where all-in costs run around $1,056, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In San Pedro de Atacama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Pedro de Atacama. 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.