Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Montt and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Montt and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,068 per month in Puerto Montt vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,624 per month in Puerto Montt vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,179 per month in Puerto Montt vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Puerto Montt is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Puerto Montt and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Montt 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 CLP 8,113

$11.99 MX$210

-27.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.05 CLP 34.5K

$41.78 MX$733

-11.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 CLP 7,229

$10.75 MX$189

-27.81%

Cappuccino

$2.84 CLP 2,649

$3.50 MX$61.3

-18.86%

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

$1.01 CLP 945

$1.45 MX$25.41

-30.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CLP 918

$0.88 MX$15.52

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 CLP 3,046

$2.95 MX$51.7

10.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 CLP 3,798

$4.51 MX$79.1

-9.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,120

$1.43 MX$25.12

-16.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CLP 1,413

$1.84 MX$32.23

-17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,732

$1.57 MX$27.51

18.47%

Eggs

$3.31 CLP 3,078

$2.51 MX$44.06

31.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.01 CLP 11.2K

$8.28 MX$145

45.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 CLP 6,376

$8.43 MX$148

-18.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 CLP 10.4K

$10.68 MX$187

4.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,675

$2.61 MX$45.76

-31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,323

$1.44 MX$25.22

-1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,421

$1.96 MX$34.41

-21.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,793

$2.09 MX$36.74

-7.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,159

$1.85 MX$32.47

-32.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,261

$2.17 MX$38.02

-37.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 CLP 1,220

$1.03 MX$18.09

27.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,494

$1.07 MX$18.84

49.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.81 CLP 4,480

$4.10 MX$72.0

17.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.99 CLP 5,574

$10.17 MX$178

-41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CLP 1,390

$1.68 MX$29.38

-11.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,077

$2.53 MX$44.31

-11.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 583

$0.51 MX$8.93

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 444

$3.23 MX$56.7

-85.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,267

$1.32 MX$23.17

3.03%

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

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-33.91%

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

$21.4K CLP 19.9M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-9.74%

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

$130 CLP 121.3K

$82.0 MX$1,439

58.85%

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

$11.83 CLP 11.0K

$22.95 MX$403

-48.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.29 CLP 20.8K

$30.11 MX$528

-25.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.86 CLP 35.3K

$52.0 MX$912

-27.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 CLP 20.0K

$18.53 MX$325

16.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 CLP 5,324

$4.98 MX$87.3

14.86%

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

$437 CLP 407.2K

$197 MX$3,463

121.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.83 CLP 46.4K

$35.60 MX$624

39.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.91 CLP 27.9K

$40.33 MX$707

-25.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 CLP 57.5K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-21.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 CLP 77.7K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 CLP 451.9K

$947 MX$16.6K

-48.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 CLP 350.5K

$474 MX$8,314

-20.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 CLP 836.9K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-45.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 CLP 548.5K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-51.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

11.42

-54.64%

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

Last update for Puerto Montt: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Puerto Montt versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $37.00 in Puerto Montt versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $249 – making Puerto Montt the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Puerto Montt vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,603 per month in Puerto Montt and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Montt, 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 $1,068 in Puerto Montt and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $437 per month in Puerto Montt and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Montt, where all-in costs run around $1,068, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Puerto Montt it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Montt – 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 Puerto Montt. 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.