Cost of Living Comparison Between Talcahuano and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Talcahuano and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Talcahuano vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,652 per month in Talcahuano vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,218 per month in Talcahuano vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Both Talcahuano and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Talcahuano 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.40 CLP 7,552

$11.87 MX$204

-29.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.87 CLP 39.4K

$42.90 MX$736

2.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 CLP 7,148

$10.65 MX$183

-25.35%

Cappuccino

$2.83 CLP 2,545

$3.45 MX$59.2

-17.97%

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

$1.31 CLP 1,177

$1.50 MX$25.81

-12.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 947

$0.95 MX$16.28

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 CLP 2,888

$3.03 MX$51.9

5.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 CLP 3,666

$4.61 MX$79.1

-11.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,107

$1.38 MX$23.61

-10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,355

$1.85 MX$31.70

-18.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,750

$1.61 MX$27.65

21.12%

Eggs

$3.56 CLP 3,196

$2.59 MX$44.51

37.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 CLP 9,286

$8.26 MX$142

25.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 CLP 5,859

$8.37 MX$144

-22.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.05 CLP 9,934

$10.66 MX$183

3.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,647

$2.63 MX$45.12

-30.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,393

$1.49 MX$25.53

4.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,430

$1.92 MX$32.94

-17.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 CLP 1,305

$2.09 MX$35.81

-30.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 CLP 1,166

$1.86 MX$31.88

-30.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 CLP 1,205

$2.26 MX$38.81

-40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,147

$1.06 MX$18.23

20.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,054

$1.09 MX$18.67

7.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 CLP 4,761

$4.15 MX$71.2

27.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 CLP 5,372

$10.39 MX$178

-42.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CLP 1,429

$1.72 MX$29.59

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 CLP 2,051

$2.61 MX$44.85

-12.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 554

$0.54 MX$9.30

14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 429

$3.13 MX$53.7

-84.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,291

$1.27 MX$21.88

13.39%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-36.61%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-9.59%

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

$130 CLP 117.0K

$83.0 MX$1,425

56.90%

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

$13.78 CLP 12.4K

$22.71 MX$390

-39.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.05 CLP 19.8K

$29.46 MX$506

-25.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.25 CLP 34.4K

$51.0 MX$875

-25.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.50 CLP 19.3K

$18.33 MX$315

17.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 CLP 5,108

$4.93 MX$84.5

15.21%

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

$443 CLP 397.9K

$197 MX$3,386

124.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 CLP 45.7K

$36.90 MX$633

37.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.54 CLP 27.4K

$39.89 MX$685

-23.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.5 CLP 55.2K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-23.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 CLP 74.7K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-7.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 CLP 425.7K

$956 MX$16.4K

-50.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 CLP 328.8K

$477 MX$8,189

-23.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 CLP 783.6K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-47.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 CLP 538.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-51.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 CLP 596.7K

$667 MX$11.4K

-0.46%

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 Talcahuano: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Talcahuano versus $956 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.

Salaries run about 0% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Talcahuano versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Talcahuano vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Talcahuano wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,629 per month in Talcahuano and $1,906 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 Talcahuano, 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 $1,086 in Talcahuano and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $443 per month in Talcahuano 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Talcahuano, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Talcahuano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Talcahuano – 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 Talcahuano. 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.