Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Temuco

For one person, living is cheaper in Temuco: $1,064 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Temuco, Chile
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Temuco
🇨🇱 Chile
$1,064
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Temuco actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,064 in Temuco, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Temuco $1,064

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,594 in Temuco, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Temuco $1,594

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,124 in Temuco, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Temuco $2,124

Playa del Carmen costs about 13% more than Temuco, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Temuco are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Temuco 22% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Temuco
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$7.38 CLP 7,335
47.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$815
$30.40 CLP 30.2K
42.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$7.20 CLP 7,156
63.61%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.6
$3.77 CLP 3,743
1.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.10
$2.17 CLP 2,152
-41.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.71
$1.05 CLP 1,044
-25.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$3.56 CLP 3,539
-10.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$3.35 CLP 3,324
47.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Temuco
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.43
$1.15 CLP 1,143
22.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.66
$1.61 CLP 1,602
37.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.64
$1.18 CLP 1,171
20.34%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.41
$3.46 CLP 3,432
-27.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$137
$8.27 CLP 8,215
-12.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$145
$5.16 CLP 5,122
49.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$239
$8.92 CLP 8,866
42.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$2.08 CLP 2,063
33.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.71
$2.08 CLP 2,066
-34.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.94
$2.03 CLP 2,021
25.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
$2.01 CLP 1,994
5.47%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
$2.38 CLP 2,362
-18.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.44
$2.17 CLP 2,153
-12.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.55
$1.49 CLP 1,481
-22.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.16
$1.17 CLP 1,166
0.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.7
$4.67 CLP 4,635
-7.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$4.72 CLP 4,692
110.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.76
$1.51 CLP 1,503
4.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.2
$2.01 CLP 1,995
32.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Temuco
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.40
$0.82 CLP 810
-32.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$32.91 CLP 32.7K
-19.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.4
$0.77 CLP 766
545.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.6
$1.48 CLP 1,474
125.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$8.85 CLP 8,792
-39.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.14
$1.30 CLP 1,291
10.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.4K
$11.9K CLP 11.8M
73.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$441.0K
$17.4K CLP 17.3M
34.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Temuco
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,594
$137 CLP 136.2K
-38.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$440
$11.31 CLP 11.2K
106.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$539
$22.74 CLP 22.6K
26.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Temuco
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,072
$47.54 CLP 47.2K
20.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$45.80 CLP 45.5K
-36.88%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.6
$4.42 CLP 4,392
16.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Temuco
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,882
$210 CLP 208.4K
-1.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.8K
$2,764 CLP 2.7M
42.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Temuco
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$815
$44.54 CLP 44.2K
-2.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$779
$17.35 CLP 17.2K
138.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,394
$63.5 CLP 63.0K
16.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,677
$82.2 CLP 81.7K
8.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Temuco
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$385 CLP 382.7K
154.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,157
$319 CLP 316.4K
19.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$712 CLP 707.2K
139.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$503 CLP 499.6K
113.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.1K
$1,942 CLP 1.9M
103.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.7K
$1,632 CLP 1.6M
277.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Temuco
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$516 CLP 512.8K
42.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.8
138.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Temuco: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Temuco
$319 16.4% $62
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Temuco
$217 14.8% $38
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Temuco
$163 19.3% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Temuco
$171 25.1% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Temuco
$93 16.4% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Temuco
$56 16.2% $11
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Temuco
$44 12.1% $6.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $385 in Temuco. 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 42% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $30 in Temuco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $217 – making Temuco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇨🇱 Temuco
🕒 Local time
01:11 1:11 AM
03:11 3:11 AM
2 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
235,509
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 993 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.01 USD). 1 EUR = 1,109 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.02 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Temuco 6,770 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Temuco

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 Temuco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Temuco cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,596 in Temuco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Temuco, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $385 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Temuco?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,064 in Temuco. That makes Temuco about 12% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 19% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 enough for either Playa del Carmen or Temuco?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,064 in Temuco, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Temuco?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,064 in Temuco to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Temuco. 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.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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