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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,068 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,615 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,161 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 18% 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 7% lower, San Pedro de Atacama 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.26 CLP 6,965

59.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$44.43 CLP 42.6K

6.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.79 CLP 7,468

52.50%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.80 CLP 2,685

42.14%

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

$1.43 MX$24.58

$1.57 CLP 1,508

-8.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.17 CLP 1,122

-29.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$3.47 CLP 3,332

-8.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.84 CLP 3,684

76.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.86

$1.18 CLP 1,133

42.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.84

$1.51 CLP 1,448

45.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.42

$1.61 CLP 1,549

6.21%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.21

$3.58 CLP 3,432

-23.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.17 CLP 9,755

-5.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.48 CLP 6,215

39.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.43 CLP 11.0K

12.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.75

$1.88 CLP 1,804

53.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.79

$1.61 CLP 1,547

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.00

$1.70 CLP 1,628

26.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.92

$1.65 CLP 1,584

36.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.11

$1.60 CLP 1,534

23.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.27

$1.49 CLP 1,433

33.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.26

$1.30 CLP 1,248

-5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.61

$1.18 CLP 1,134

1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.4

$5.12 CLP 4,905

-11.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$4.95 CLP 4,747

109.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.54 CLP 1,474

5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.61

$2.23 CLP 2,140

29.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.61 CLP 587

-1.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.70 CLP 667

670.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.46

$1.44 CLP 1,378

6.94%

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

$22.5K MX$388.4K

$17.9K CLP 17.2M

25.90%

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

$26.1K MX$448.8K

$19.5K CLP 18.7M

33.91%

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

$91.4 MX$1,574

$130 CLP 124.5K

-29.59%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$13.47 CLP 12.9K

87.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$22.21 CLP 21.3K

40.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,158

$38.39 CLP 36.8K

75.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$22.60 CLP 21.7K

28.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.53 CLP 5,306

-12.12%

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

$224 MX$3,852

$383 CLP 367.2K

-41.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$8,372 CLP 8.0M

-49.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$47.05 CLP 45.1K

0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$24.64 CLP 23.6K

79.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,380

$62.2 CLP 59.7K

28.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$83.9 CLP 80.4K

10.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$473 CLP 453.9K

124.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,721

$373 CLP 357.8K

4.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$877 CLP 840.9K

145.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$582 CLP 558.3K

118.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,309 CLP 2.2M

73.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.01

128.54%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $473 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $228 – making San Pedro de Atacama 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 San Pedro de Atacama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,602 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,068 in San Pedro de Atacama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $383 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 $1,068, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.