Cost of Living Comparison Between Valdivia and Tulum Cost of Living Comparison Between Valdivia and Tulum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,062 in Valdivia versus $1,049 in Tulum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,610 in Valdivia versus $1,920 in Tulum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,157 in Valdivia versus $2,790 in Tulum.

Living in Valdivia is roughly 1% more expensive than in Tulum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Valdivia 20% lower, Tulum 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 CLP 6,154

$10.39 MX$182

-36.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.26 CLP 39.4K

$50.3 MX$879

-15.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 CLP 6,458

$7.83 MX$137

-11.37%

Cappuccino

$2.51 CLP 2,335

$3.81 MX$66.7

-34.12%

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

$2.31 CLP 2,151

$1.22 MX$21.33

89.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 CLP 1,428

$1.11 MX$19.44

37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 CLP 3,551

$2.84 MX$49.73

34.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 CLP 3,666

$3.91 MX$68.4

0.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,148

$1.44 MX$25.12

-14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 CLP 1,329

$1.18 MX$20.69

21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,523

$1.51 MX$26.45

8.61%

Eggs

$3.17 CLP 2,955

$1.90 MX$33.29

66.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 CLP 8,737

$5.17 MX$90.4

81.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 CLP 6,474

$6.97 MX$122

-0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

$6.22 MX$109

115.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 CLP 2,063

$2.08 MX$36.42

6.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,804

$1.39 MX$24.39

39.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,706

$1.40 MX$24.51

30.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 CLP 1,833

$1.36 MX$23.85

44.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CLP 2,275

$2.18 MX$38.15

11.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,474

$1.89 MX$33.10

-16.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 CLP 1,474

$1.08 MX$18.84

46.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,123

$0.98 MX$17.16

23.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.25 CLP 4,892

$4.29 MX$75.1

22.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 CLP 4,454

$8.51 MX$149

-43.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,486

$1.30 MX$22.81

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 CLP 1,989

$1.30 MX$22.70

64.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 550

$1.17 MX$20.46

-49.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 CLP 1,476

$2.09 MX$36.59

-23.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 MX$38.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MX$93.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,318

$1.28 MX$22.33

10.94%

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

$15.6K CLP 14.6M

$15.7K MX$275.2K

-0.74%

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

$18.2K CLP 17.0M

$21.7K MX$378.9K

-15.82%

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

$96.1 CLP 89.5K

$84.6 MX$1,480

13.59%

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

$18.60 CLP 17.3K

$22.57 MX$395

-17.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.22 CLP 27.2K

$28.99 MX$507

0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.96 CLP 40.0K

$32.90 MX$575

30.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.61 CLP 22.9K

$16.11 MX$282

52.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 CLP 4,560

$4.56 MX$79.7

7.46%

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

$275 CLP 255.7K

$210 MX$3,677

30.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,829 MX$49.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 CLP 50.9K

$26.70 MX$467

104.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.60 CLP 17.3K

$31.62 MX$553

-41.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.2 CLP 48.6K

$79.3 MX$1,387

-34.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 CLP 76.3K

$46.00 MX$804

78.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 CLP 556.8K

$716 MX$12.5K

-16.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 CLP 357.0K

$401 MX$7,005

-4.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 CLP 967.9K

$1,435 MX$25.1K

-27.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 CLP 552.5K

$1,252 MX$21.9K

-52.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,745 CLP 4.4M

$3,217 MX$56.3K

47.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,868 MX$32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$661 CLP 615.1K

$815 MX$14.2K

-18.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-59.09%

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

Last update for Valdivia: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tulum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $598 in Valdivia and $716 in Tulum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tulum pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Valdivia vs $50.0 in Tulum. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $193, with Tulum cheaper for home cooking.

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

Valdivia vs Tulum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tulum wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Valdivia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tulum the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Tulum. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $598 in Valdivia versus $716 in Tulum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $275 in Valdivia versus $210 in Tulum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tulum – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $42.00 in Valdivia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,049 in Tulum versus $1,062 in Valdivia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tulum but tight or insufficient in Valdivia. The gap between the two cities makes Tulum 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.

Expats usually find Tulum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Valdivia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.