Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Atacama and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro de Atacama and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,068 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,161 per month in San Pedro de Atacama vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Pedro de Atacama is about 16% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Pedro de Atacama and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Pedro de Atacama 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 CLP 6,965

$11.60 MX$200

-37.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.43 CLP 42.6K

$47.11 MX$811

-5.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 CLP 7,468

$11.88 MX$205

-34.43%

Cappuccino

$2.80 CLP 2,685

$3.98 MX$68.5

-29.65%

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

$1.57 CLP 1,508

$1.43 MX$24.58

9.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,122

$0.82 MX$14.20

42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 CLP 3,332

$3.19 MX$54.9

8.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 CLP 3,684

$6.79 MX$117

-43.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,133

$1.68 MX$28.86

-29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,448

$2.20 MX$37.84

-31.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,549

$1.71 MX$29.42

-5.85%

Eggs

$3.58 CLP 3,432

$2.74 MX$47.21

30.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CLP 9,755

$9.58 MX$165

6.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 CLP 6,215

$9.01 MX$155

-28.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.43 CLP 11.0K

$12.81 MX$221

-10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,804

$2.89 MX$49.75

-34.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,547

$1.50 MX$25.79

7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,628

$2.15 MX$37.00

-20.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,584

$2.26 MX$38.92

-26.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,534

$1.98 MX$34.11

-19.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 CLP 1,433

$1.99 MX$34.27

-25.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,248

$1.23 MX$21.26

5.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,134

$1.20 MX$20.61

-1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 CLP 4,905

$4.55 MX$78.4

12.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 CLP 4,747

$10.37 MX$179

-52.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,474

$1.62 MX$27.88

-4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,140

$2.88 MX$49.61

-22.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 587

$0.60 MX$10.34

1.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 CLP 667

$5.39 MX$92.8

-87.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,378

$1.54 MX$26.46

-6.49%

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

$17.9K CLP 17.2M

$22.5K MX$388.4K

-20.57%

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

$19.5K CLP 18.7M

$26.1K MX$448.8K

-25.33%

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

$130 CLP 124.5K

$91.4 MX$1,574

42.03%

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

$13.47 CLP 12.9K

$25.20 MX$434

-46.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.21 CLP 21.3K

$31.24 MX$538

-28.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.39 CLP 36.8K

$67.2 MX$1,158

-42.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.60 CLP 21.7K

$29.11 MX$501

-22.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.53 CLP 5,306

$4.86 MX$83.8

13.79%

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

$383 CLP 367.2K

$224 MX$3,852

71.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,372 CLP 8.0M

$4,229 MX$72.8K

97.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.05 CLP 45.1K

$47.10 MX$811

-0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 CLP 23.6K

$44.29 MX$763

-44.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 CLP 59.7K

$80.1 MX$1,380

-22.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 CLP 80.4K

$92.7 MX$1,596

-9.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 CLP 453.9K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-55.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 357.8K

$390 MX$6,721

-4.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 CLP 840.9K

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-59.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 CLP 558.3K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-54.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,309 CLP 2.2M

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-42.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

11.45

-56.24%

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

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,063 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 $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $276 – making San Pedro de Atacama 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

San Pedro de Atacama 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 $1,602 per month in San Pedro de Atacama and $1,899 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 San Pedro de Atacama, 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 San Pedro de Atacama and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $383 per month in San Pedro de Atacama and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Pedro de Atacama, where all-in costs run around $1,068, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In San Pedro de Atacama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Pedro de Atacama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Pedro de Atacama. 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.