Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Atacama and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Atacama and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,055 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,638 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,221 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in San Pedro de Atacama costs roughly 28% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Pedro de Atacama is 21% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 CLP 6,894

$13.07 MX$229

-43.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.02 CLP 41.0K

$53.8 MX$943

-18.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 CLP 7,475

$9.68 MX$170

-17.05%

Cappuccino

$2.74 CLP 2,549

$3.74 MX$65.6

-26.74%

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

$1.60 CLP 1,491

$1.62 MX$28.34

-1.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,127

$1.16 MX$20.37

4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 CLP 3,351

$3.23 MX$56.6

11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 CLP 3,657

$4.74 MX$83.1

-17.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,154

$1.65 MX$28.89

-24.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,402

$2.75 MX$48.30

-45.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,529

$1.87 MX$32.87

-12.30%

Eggs

$3.71 CLP 3,459

$2.50 MX$43.86

48.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 CLP 9,385

$10.20 MX$179

-1.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 CLP 6,066

$8.25 MX$145

-21.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.49 CLP 10.7K

$11.82 MX$207

-2.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,754

$3.01 MX$52.8

-37.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,454

$1.81 MX$31.77

-13.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 CLP 1,651

$2.00 MX$35.07

-11.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,569

$2.00 MX$35.00

-15.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 CLP 1,549

$2.08 MX$36.56

-20.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,392

$2.27 MX$39.85

-34.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,196

$1.46 MX$25.55

-12.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CLP 1,113

$1.08 MX$18.88

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 CLP 4,763

$4.35 MX$76.3

17.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 CLP 4,594

$16.99 MX$298

-70.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CLP 1,483

$1.73 MX$30.40

-8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 CLP 2,016

$3.58 MX$62.7

-39.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 581

$0.39 MX$6.79

58.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 CLP 603

$1.33 MX$23.25

-51.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,266

$1.34 MX$23.44

1.49%

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

$17.3K CLP 16.1M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

-10.69%

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

$19.4K CLP 18.1M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-18.66%

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

$131 CLP 121.9K

$40.69 MX$714

221.65%

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

$13.57 CLP 12.6K

$26.87 MX$471

-49.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.88 CLP 20.4K

$30.51 MX$535

-28.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.18 CLP 36.5K

$52.8 MX$926

-25.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.50 CLP 21.0K

$26.65 MX$467

-15.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 CLP 5,167

$6.51 MX$114

-14.75%

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

$384 CLP 357.4K

$428 MX$7,508

-10.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.82 CLP 44.5K

$57.3 MX$1,004

-16.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.69 CLP 23.0K

$45.50 MX$798

-45.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 CLP 58.4K

$104 MX$1,825

-39.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 CLP 76.1K

$108 MX$1,891

-24.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 CLP 445.5K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-52.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 CLP 343.1K

$623 MX$10.9K

-40.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 CLP 821.0K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-58.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 CLP 556.6K

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-50.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,323 CLP 2.2M

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-40.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

11.34

-55.82%

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

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $478 in San Pedro de Atacama and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $292 per month, with San Pedro de Atacama cheaper across the board.

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

San Pedro de Atacama vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pedro de Atacama and Mexico City differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,055 vs $1,456 including rent). San Pedro de Atacama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,582 in San Pedro de Atacama and $2,185 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $478 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $384 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Pedro de Atacama – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,055 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Pedro de Atacama but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Pedro de Atacama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, San Pedro de Atacama and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find San Pedro de Atacama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.