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: $1,068 in Valdivia versus $1,331 in Tulum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Valdivia versus $2,231 in Tulum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,135 in Valdivia versus $3,130 in Tulum.

Living in Valdivia costs roughly 20% less than in Tulum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Valdivia 22% lower, Tulum 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 CLP 6,294

$8.73 MX$148

-23.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.54 CLP 44.6K

$59.4 MX$1,009

-20.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 CLP 6,433

$8.71 MX$148

-21.24%

Cappuccino

$2.25 CLP 2,108

$4.14 MX$70.3

-45.65%

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

$2.06 CLP 1,934

$1.16 MX$19.76

77.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CLP 1,220

$1.23 MX$20.84

5.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 CLP 3,540

$2.98 MX$50.6

26.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 CLP 3,440

$3.92 MX$66.6

-6.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,109

$1.74 MX$29.58

-32.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 CLP 1,264

$2.13 MX$36.13

-36.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,518

$1.86 MX$31.58

-12.90%

Eggs

$3.05 CLP 2,861

$2.06 MX$35.02

48.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 CLP 8,745

$5.86 MX$99.5

59.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 CLP 6,451

$8.44 MX$143

-18.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 CLP 12.2K

$9.53 MX$162

36.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 CLP 2,070

$2.79 MX$47.42

-20.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 CLP 1,880

$1.49 MX$25.30

34.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,717

$1.61 MX$27.28

13.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,757

$1.63 MX$27.69

14.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CLP 2,329

$2.45 MX$41.65

1.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,464

$1.96 MX$33.33

-20.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 CLP 1,387

$1.58 MX$26.85

-6.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CLP 1,123

$0.86 MX$14.60

39.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 CLP 5,095

$4.90 MX$83.2

11.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.79 CLP 4,491

$8.95 MX$152

-46.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,454

$1.48 MX$25.08

4.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CLP 2,073

$1.44 MX$24.53

53.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 582

$1.51 MX$25.65

-58.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 CLP 941

$2.91 MX$49.43

-65.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 MX$43.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 CLP 1,393

$1.50 MX$25.46

-0.67%

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

$15.6K CLP 14.7M

$22.7K MX$385.8K

-31.17%

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

$18.5K CLP 17.4M

$25.1K MX$426.7K

-26.22%

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

$94.9 CLP 89.0K

$115 MX$1,946

-17.17%

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

$14.00 CLP 13.1K

$17.42 MX$296

-19.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.86 CLP 29.9K

$36.64 MX$622

-13.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 CLP 39.4K

$37.09 MX$630

13.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.40 CLP 22.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.80 CLP 4,497

$7.08 MX$120

-32.20%

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

$260 CLP 243.4K

$274 MX$4,654

-5.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,258 CLP 3.1M

$3,157 MX$53.6K

3.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 CLP 50.5K

$43.29 MX$735

24.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.59 CLP 17.4K

$34.86 MX$592

-46.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.6 CLP 48.4K

$105 MX$1,777

-50.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 CLP 74.4K

$64.2 MX$1,091

23.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 CLP 569.8K

$643 MX$10.9K

-5.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 CLP 369.7K

$563 MX$9,568

-29.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 CLP 963.5K

$1,633 MX$27.7K

-37.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 CLP 560.2K

$1,358 MX$23.1K

-55.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,608 CLP 4.3M

$3,430 MX$58.2K

34.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 CLP 612.3K

$853 MX$14.5K

-23.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

10.8

-58.33%

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

Last update for Valdivia: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tulum: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $608 in Valdivia and $643 in Tulum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tulum pays 31% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Valdivia vs $59.0 in Tulum. Groceries flip the comparison at $238 vs $236, 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

Valdivia wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Tulum. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Valdivia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 31% 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: $608 in Valdivia versus $643 in Tulum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $260 in Valdivia versus $274 in Tulum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Valdivia – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $59.0 in Tulum. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,068 in Valdivia versus $1,331 in Tulum, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Valdivia but tight or insufficient in Tulum. The gap between the two cities makes Valdivia 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 Valdivia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Tulum. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.