Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Talcahuano

For one person, living is cheaper in Talcahuano: $152 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,202

/mo nomad

Talcahuano

🇨🇱 Chile

$152

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Talcahuano

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Talcahuano actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $152 in Talcahuano, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,202
Talcahuano $152

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $204 in Talcahuano, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Talcahuano $204

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $256 in Talcahuano, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,962
Talcahuano $256

Playa del Carmen costs about 690% more than Talcahuano, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Playa del Carmen and Talcahuano are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Talcahuano 89% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 MX$198

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.80 MX$813

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 MX$219

Cappuccino

$3.79 MX$70.3

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

$1.30 MX$24.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$15.47

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$58.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$91.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.14

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$40.75

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$27.33

Eggs

$2.50 MX$46.34

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 MX$135

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.95 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 MX$239

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$53.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MX$25.67

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MX$46.23

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.67

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.58

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$35.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 MX$22.99

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$79.3

Wine (Bottle)

$9.81 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.43

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MX$51.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$9.56

$0.53 CLP 511

-3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.39 MX$508

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MX$88.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 MX$60.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$28.36

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

$21.2K MX$393.7K

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

$23.3K MX$431.7K

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

$83.5 MX$1,549

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

$23.19 MX$430

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.61 MX$512

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,047

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.19 MX$523

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 MX$92.8

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

$207 MX$3,843

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 MX$97.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.45 MX$806

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 MX$789

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 MX$1,350

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,640

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$18.5K

$200 CLP 193.0K

396.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 MX$7,097

$150 CLP 144.6K

154.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 MX$31.1K

$355 CLP 342.7K

371.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 MX$20.1K

$251 CLP 241.8K

330.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,909 MX$72.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,138 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$832 MX$15.4K

$612 CLP 589.6K

36.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Talcahuano: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$382 31.8%

Talcahuano

–

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$257 21.4%

Talcahuano

–

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.7%

Talcahuano

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$134 11.2%

Talcahuano

–

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$111 9.3%

Talcahuano

–

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$66 5.5%

Talcahuano

–

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Talcahuano

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $200 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 36% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇨🇱 Talcahuano

🕒 Local time

17:06 5:06 PM

19:06 7:06 PM

2 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

147,831

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Chilean Peso CLP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.39 USD

100 MXN = 4.8 EUR

10,000 CLP = 10.37 USD

10,000 CLP = 9.24 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.56 MXN (100 MXN = 5.39 USD). 1 EUR = 20.83 MXN (100 MXN = 4.8 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 964 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.04 USD). 1 EUR = 1,082 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.24 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Playa del Carmen Talcahuano 6,540 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Talcahuano

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 690%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $228 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $200 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Talcahuano, where all-in costs run around $152, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Talcahuano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $152 in Talcahuano to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Talcahuano. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.