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 $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,638 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,221 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in San Pedro de Atacama costs roughly 36% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Pedro de Atacama is 23% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 CLP 6,780

$12.11 MX$205

-40.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.49 CLP 41.5K

$52.2 MX$883

-14.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 CLP 7,473

$10.90 MX$184

-26.61%

Cappuccino

$2.83 CLP 2,645

$4.05 MX$68.5

-30.12%

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

$1.57 CLP 1,463

$1.72 MX$28.99

-8.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,092

$1.38 MX$23.28

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 CLP 3,280

$3.47 MX$58.6

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 CLP 3,592

$5.81 MX$98.2

-33.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,153

$1.85 MX$31.32

-33.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,430

$3.22 MX$54.5

-52.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,579

$2.09 MX$35.24

-19.14%

Eggs

$3.56 CLP 3,323

$2.91 MX$49.16

22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CLP 9,496

$12.49 MX$211

-18.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 CLP 6,142

$10.11 MX$171

-34.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 CLP 10.8K

$15.89 MX$269

-27.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,766

$3.31 MX$56.0

-42.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,460

$2.13 MX$35.94

-26.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 CLP 1,670

$2.19 MX$37.02

-18.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,575

$2.45 MX$41.36

-31.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,529

$2.19 MX$36.99

-25.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,459

$1.90 MX$32.19

-17.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 CLP 1,255

$1.62 MX$27.30

-17.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CLP 1,154

$1.35 MX$22.81

-8.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 CLP 4,883

$5.43 MX$91.7

-3.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 CLP 4,819

$17.59 MX$297

-70.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,450

$2.07 MX$34.95

-25.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 CLP 1,995

$4.75 MX$80.2

-54.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 578

$0.34 MX$5.74

82.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 CLP 625

$2.04 MX$34.48

-67.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,278

$1.62 MX$27.30

-15.43%

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

$17.5K CLP 16.3M

$22.8K MX$385.5K

-23.30%

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

$19.3K CLP 18.0M

$26.7K MX$450.6K

-27.51%

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

$129 CLP 120.8K

$65.2 MX$1,102

98.34%

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

$13.28 CLP 12.4K

$29.87 MX$505

-55.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.02 CLP 20.6K

$36.55 MX$618

-39.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.16 CLP 36.6K

$61.0 MX$1,031

-35.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.92 CLP 21.4K

$26.70 MX$451

-14.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 CLP 4,960

$6.85 MX$116

-22.48%

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

$386 CLP 360.7K

$453 MX$7,662

-14.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,559 CLP 8.0M

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-35.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.54 CLP 44.4K

$75.0 MX$1,267

-36.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 CLP 23.6K

$55.3 MX$934

-54.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 CLP 58.0K

$114 MX$1,920

-45.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 CLP 78.2K

$123 MX$2,073

-31.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 CLP 444.7K

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-57.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 345.7K

$712 MX$12.0K

-48.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 CLP 819.0K

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-65.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 CLP 546.3K

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-55.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,324 CLP 2.2M

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-41.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

11.3

-55.66%

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

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in San Pedro de Atacama and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $345 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 56% in total monthly costs ($1,055 vs $1,646 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 $1,583 in San Pedro de Atacama and $2,469 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: $476 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $386 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $453 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 $52.0 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 $1,646 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 56% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.