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 $1,069 per month in Puerto Montt vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,608 per month in Puerto Montt vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,147 per month in Puerto Montt vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Puerto Montt is about 18% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.54 CLP 7,577

$11.73 MX$203

-27.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.81 CLP 33.6K

$41.62 MX$720

-9.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 CLP 6,524

$10.64 MX$184

-30.92%

Cappuccino

$2.95 CLP 2,622

$3.52 MX$60.9

-16.19%

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

$0.99 CLP 875

$1.51 MX$26.12

-34.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 901

$0.97 MX$16.84

5.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 CLP 2,837

$2.95 MX$51.0

8.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CLP 3,755

$4.45 MX$77.0

-4.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 CLP 1,074

$1.38 MX$23.93

-12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,389

$1.89 MX$32.72

-16.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,725

$1.64 MX$28.32

18.29%

Eggs

$3.30 CLP 2,927

$2.51 MX$43.34

31.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 CLP 10.5K

$8.34 MX$144

41.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 CLP 5,847

$8.34 MX$144

-20.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 CLP 9,891

$10.73 MX$186

3.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,629

$2.60 MX$45.04

-29.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,319

$1.46 MX$25.20

2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,400

$1.90 MX$32.87

-16.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,687

$2.08 MX$35.91

-8.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 CLP 1,107

$1.78 MX$30.71

-29.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,247

$2.19 MX$37.80

-35.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 CLP 1,215

$1.04 MX$17.99

31.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CLP 1,403

$1.08 MX$18.62

46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 CLP 4,340

$4.08 MX$70.6

19.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 CLP 5,403

$10.32 MX$178

-40.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CLP 1,330

$1.71 MX$29.61

-12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,042

$2.58 MX$44.54

-10.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 545

$0.51 MX$8.81

19.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 426

$3.26 MX$56.4

-85.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,260

$1.31 MX$22.61

8.40%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.1M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-36.39%

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

$21.2K CLP 18.9M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-9.34%

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

$131 CLP 115.9K

$82.9 MX$1,433

57.56%

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

$11.64 CLP 10.3K

$22.22 MX$384

-47.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.35 CLP 19.8K

$29.34 MX$507

-23.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 CLP 34.0K

$51.6 MX$893

-25.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.97 CLP 18.6K

$18.32 MX$317

14.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.52 CLP 4,897

$5.07 MX$87.6

8.88%

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

$432 CLP 383.6K

$201 MX$3,473

115.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 CLP 45.6K

$36.92 MX$639

39.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.89 CLP 27.4K

$39.79 MX$688

-22.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 CLP 55.4K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-20.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 CLP 73.7K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-4.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 CLP 423.9K

$973 MX$16.8K

-50.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 CLP 326.6K

$468 MX$8,090

-21.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 CLP 785.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-46.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 CLP 522.7K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-51.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Puerto Montt versus $973 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 $38.00 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 21%, 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 $1,604 per month in Puerto Montt and $1,945 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 $1,069 in Puerto Montt and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Puerto Montt and $201 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 $1,069, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.