Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Talcahuano Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Talcahuano

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,086 in Talcahuano, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,652 in Talcahuano, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,218 in Talcahuano, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Talcahuano, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Talcahuano are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Talcahuano 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$8.40 CLP 7,552

41.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$43.87 CLP 39.4K

-2.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.95 CLP 7,148

33.96%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.83 CLP 2,545

21.91%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.31 CLP 1,177

14.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.05 CLP 947

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.21 CLP 2,888

-5.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.08 CLP 3,666

12.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.23 CLP 1,107

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.51 CLP 1,355

22.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.95 CLP 1,750

-17.44%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.56 CLP 3,196

-27.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.33 CLP 9,286

-20.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.52 CLP 5,859

28.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.05 CLP 9,934

-3.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.83 CLP 1,647

43.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.55 CLP 1,393

-3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.59 CLP 1,430

20.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.45 CLP 1,305

44.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.30 CLP 1,166

43.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.34 CLP 1,205

68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.28 CLP 1,147

-17.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.17 CLP 1,054

-6.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.30 CLP 4,761

-21.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.98 CLP 5,372

73.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.59 CLP 1,429

8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.28 CLP 2,051

14.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.62 CLP 554

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.48 CLP 429

552.08%

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

$1.44 CLP 1,291

-11.81%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

57.74%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

10.60%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$130 CLP 117.0K

-36.27%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$13.78 CLP 12.4K

64.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$22.05 CLP 19.8K

33.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$38.25 CLP 34.4K

33.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$21.50 CLP 19.3K

-14.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.68 CLP 5,108

-13.20%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$443 CLP 397.9K

-55.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$50.9 CLP 45.7K

-27.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$30.54 CLP 27.4K

30.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$61.5 CLP 55.2K

30.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$83.1 CLP 74.7K

7.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$474 CLP 425.7K

101.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$366 CLP 328.8K

30.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$872 CLP 783.6K

88.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$599 CLP 538.1K

104.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$664 CLP 596.7K

0.46%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Talcahuano: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $474 in Talcahuano. 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 0% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Talcahuano. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $228 in Talcahuano – so Talcahuano 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 Talcahuano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,629 in Talcahuano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Talcahuano, 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 $1,086 in Talcahuano. 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 $443 in Talcahuano. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Talcahuano, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Talcahuano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Talcahuano – 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 Talcahuano. 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.