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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,102 in Talcahuano, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,655 in Talcahuano, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,208 in Talcahuano, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% 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 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$8.52 CLP 7,930

37.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$44.93 CLP 41.8K

-6.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.93 CLP 7,377

32.53%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.76 CLP 2,564

30.07%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.34 CLP 1,247

12.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.02 CLP 953

-9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.28 CLP 3,051

-9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.16 CLP 3,867

6.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.18 CLP 1,096

18.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.57 CLP 1,457

19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.85 CLP 1,725

-15.68%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.59 CLP 3,342

-27.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.59 CLP 9,854

-21.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.77 CLP 6,297

23.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.82 CLP 10.1K

0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.83 CLP 1,701

48.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.58 CLP 1,469

-4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.54 CLP 1,437

21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.51 CLP 1,407

45.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.23 CLP 1,144

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.41 CLP 1,309

58.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.27 CLP 1,186

-15.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.19 CLP 1,105

-8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.31 CLP 4,941

-21.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.23 CLP 5,799

67.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.59 CLP 1,484

4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.24 CLP 2,082

16.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.62 CLP 580

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.51 CLP 472

503.92%

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

$1.37 CLP 1,273

-4.38%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.9K CLP 18.6M

49.44%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.1K CLP 19.6M

10.47%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$131 CLP 122.1K

-38.05%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$13.58 CLP 12.6K

66.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$22.10 CLP 20.6K

35.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$39.11 CLP 36.4K

35.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$21.35 CLP 19.9K

-13.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.70 CLP 5,299

-13.68%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$436 CLP 405.3K

-53.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$51.1 CLP 47.6K

-29.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.52 CLP 28.4K

31.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$62.8 CLP 58.4K

26.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$81.9 CLP 76.2K

5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$476 CLP 442.6K

105.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$367 CLP 341.4K

28.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$875 CLP 814.0K

88.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$592 CLP 550.4K

103.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$629 CLP 585.1K

7.60%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Talcahuano: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $476 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 8% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Talcahuano. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $230 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 14%, 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 $1,653 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,102 in Talcahuano. 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 $436 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 $1,102, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.