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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,200 per month in Temuco vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,768 per month in Temuco vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,335 per month in Temuco vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Temuco is about 7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Temuco and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Temuco 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.99 CLP 6,215

$11.94 MX$209

-41.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 CLP 28.6K

$42.75 MX$748

-24.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 CLP 6,886

$10.59 MX$185

-26.91%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CLP 3,445

$3.62 MX$63.4

6.91%

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

$2.32 CLP 2,067

$1.47 MX$25.69

57.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 CLP 1,136

$0.94 MX$16.51

36.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 CLP 3,285

$3.09 MX$54.1

19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 CLP 3,088

$4.46 MX$78.0

-22.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,046

$1.43 MX$24.94

-17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 CLP 1,307

$1.88 MX$32.97

-21.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 CLP 1,162

$1.63 MX$28.50

-19.63%

Eggs

$3.54 CLP 3,149

$2.64 MX$46.26

34.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 CLP 8,561

$8.21 MX$144

17.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 CLP 5,375

$8.29 MX$145

-27.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.01 CLP 10.7K

$11.10 MX$194

8.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,735

$2.65 MX$46.40

-26.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,860

$1.50 MX$26.26

39.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 CLP 1,891

$1.99 MX$34.79

7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 CLP 1,998

$2.08 MX$36.33

8.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CLP 2,199

$1.79 MX$31.29

37.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 CLP 2,311

$2.18 MX$38.09

19.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 CLP 1,717

$1.08 MX$18.84

78.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,056

$1.04 MX$18.15

14.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 CLP 4,253

$3.97 MX$69.5

20.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 CLP 4,590

$10.20 MX$179

-49.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CLP 1,401

$1.73 MX$30.22

-8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 CLP 1,896

$2.50 MX$43.71

-14.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 CLP 761

$0.52 MX$9.07

65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.54 CLP 30.7K

$26.97 MX$472

28.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 CLP 744

$3.14 MX$55.0

-73.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CLP 1,381

$2.40 MX$42.04

-35.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 CLP 8,868

$3.09 MX$54.0

222.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 CLP 1,258

$1.27 MX$22.28

11.02%

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

$13.2K CLP 11.7M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-57.33%

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

$18.3K CLP 16.3M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-21.31%

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

$217 CLP 192.6K

$82.0 MX$1,435

164.10%

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

$11.89 CLP 10.6K

$22.45 MX$393

-47.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.96 CLP 13.3K

$29.66 MX$519

-49.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.69 CLP 44.2K

$51.9 MX$908

-4.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.98 CLP 43.6K

$18.67 MX$327

162.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 CLP 4,299

$4.97 MX$87.0

-2.82%

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

$228 CLP 202.8K

$198 MX$3,462

15.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,869 CLP 2.6M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-45.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.94 CLP 40.8K

$36.34 MX$636

26.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.48 CLP 16.4K

$40.05 MX$701

-53.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.4 CLP 61.7K

$79.9 MX$1,398

-13.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 CLP 78.5K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 CLP 375.2K

$963 MX$16.9K

-56.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 CLP 304.9K

$465 MX$8,133

-26.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 CLP 658.0K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-53.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 CLP 465.7K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-56.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,187 CLP 1.9M

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-44.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,837 CLP 1.6M

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-71.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$585 CLP 520.0K

$720 MX$12.6K

-18.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

11.42

-57.97%

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

Last update for Temuco: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Temuco versus $963 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 23% 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 $32.00 in Temuco versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $251 – making Temuco 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,800 per month in Temuco and $1,930 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 Temuco, 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 $1,200 in Temuco and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 28% less in Temuco. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Temuco, where all-in costs run around $1,200, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Temuco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Temuco – 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 Temuco. 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.