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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,080 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,613 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,145 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% 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 4% lower, San Pedro de Atacama 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$7.15 CLP 6,401

66.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$43.58 CLP 39.0K

-1.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$7.92 CLP 7,098

33.71%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.86 CLP 2,562

26.57%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.60 CLP 1,433

-8.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$1.20 CLP 1,078

-21.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$3.60 CLP 3,227

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$4.01 CLP 3,590

11.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.19 CLP 1,065

20.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.53 CLP 1,373

22.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.68 CLP 1,506

-2.98%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.63 CLP 3,248

-27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$10.05 CLP 9,003

-18.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$6.87 CLP 6,151

20.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$11.69 CLP 10.5K

-5.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.98 CLP 1,770

33.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.61 CLP 1,439

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.69 CLP 1,514

17.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.74 CLP 1,554

19.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.58 CLP 1,411

13.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.55 CLP 1,388

40.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.35 CLP 1,212

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$1.24 CLP 1,112

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$5.35 CLP 4,794

-25.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$5.15 CLP 4,616

98.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.56 CLP 1,399

10.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.26 CLP 2,020

10.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.61 CLP 547

-14.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.69 CLP 622

355.07%

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

$1.42 CLP 1,272

-10.56%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$17.7K CLP 15.9M

74.04%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$19.8K CLP 17.7M

17.69%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$134 CLP 120.2K

-38.90%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$13.62 CLP 12.2K

64.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$22.10 CLP 19.8K

34.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$39.14 CLP 35.1K

32.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$23.22 CLP 20.8K

-19.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$5.38 CLP 4,814

-7.62%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$383 CLP 342.8K

-48.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$47.88 CLP 42.9K

-24.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$24.60 CLP 22.0K

62.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$61.4 CLP 55.0K

30.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$82.0 CLP 73.4K

8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$488 CLP 436.9K

97.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$372 CLP 333.2K

24.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$898 CLP 804.0K

77.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$583 CLP 522.3K

107.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$2,328 CLP 2.1M

69.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $488 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 – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $234 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 19%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,620 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,080 in San Pedro de Atacama. 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 $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 $1,080, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.