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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,086 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,649 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,212 in San Pedro de Atacama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% 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 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.19 CLP 6,686

63.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$44.66 CLP 41.6K

-6.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.81 CLP 7,271

34.57%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.72 CLP 2,533

31.99%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.62 CLP 1,505

-6.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.20 CLP 1,118

-23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.56 CLP 3,309

-16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.07 CLP 3,787

8.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.24 CLP 1,150

12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.47 CLP 1,364

27.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.63 CLP 1,514

-4.29%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.52 CLP 3,279

-25.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.27 CLP 9,560

-18.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.81 CLP 6,334

22.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.79 CLP 11.0K

-7.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.98 CLP 1,841

36.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.60 CLP 1,490

-5.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.77 CLP 1,651

5.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.66 CLP 1,541

31.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.65 CLP 1,535

12.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.49 CLP 1,388

49.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.30 CLP 1,208

-17.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.20 CLP 1,116

-9.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.10 CLP 4,745

-17.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$5.05 CLP 4,697

106.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.60 CLP 1,492

3.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.22 CLP 2,063

17.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.62 CLP 572

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.65 CLP 604

373.85%

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

$1.39 CLP 1,289

-5.76%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$17.4K CLP 16.2M

70.99%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

17.73%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$131 CLP 121.6K

-37.81%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$13.57 CLP 12.6K

66.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$22.21 CLP 20.7K

35.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$38.51 CLP 35.8K

37.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$23.35 CLP 21.7K

-21.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.46 CLP 5,081

-9.89%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$392 CLP 364.6K

-48.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$47.39 CLP 44.1K

-24.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$24.63 CLP 22.9K

62.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$62.5 CLP 58.1K

27.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$81.7 CLP 76.0K

5.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$483 CLP 449.6K

102.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$367 CLP 341.6K

28.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$897 CLP 834.6K

84.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$595 CLP 553.4K

102.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,311 CLP 2.2M

71.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $483 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in San Pedro de Atacama. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $233 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 16%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,629 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,086 in San Pedro de Atacama. 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 $392 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 $1,086, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.