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: $1,057 in Valdivia versus $1,057 in Tulum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Valdivia versus $1,922 in Tulum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,147 in Valdivia versus $2,787 in Tulum.

Monthly costs are close between Valdivia and Tulum; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.32 CLP 5,610

$10.75 MX$186

-41.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.69 CLP 38.8K

$50.8 MX$878

-13.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 CLP 6,413

$7.79 MX$135

-7.19%

Cappuccino

$2.54 CLP 2,253

$3.83 MX$66.2

-33.68%

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

$2.41 CLP 2,137

$1.22 MX$21.18

97.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CLP 1,312

$1.12 MX$19.31

32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 CLP 3,429

$2.72 MX$47.07

41.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CLP 3,567

$3.95 MX$68.3

1.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,060

$1.42 MX$24.62

-16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 CLP 1,267

$1.18 MX$20.38

21.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,462

$1.55 MX$26.75

6.45%

Eggs

$3.13 CLP 2,777

$1.93 MX$33.41

62.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 CLP 8,191

$5.27 MX$91.2

75.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 CLP 6,140

$6.98 MX$121

-0.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 CLP 11.8K

$6.33 MX$109

110.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 CLP 1,986

$2.16 MX$37.43

3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,733

$1.41 MX$24.40

38.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,631

$1.45 MX$25.11

26.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,732

$1.41 MX$24.37

38.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CLP 2,168

$2.18 MX$37.73

11.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,445

$1.96 MX$33.93

-16.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 CLP 1,401

$1.08 MX$18.71

46.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,070

$0.90 MX$15.65

34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.36 CLP 4,756

$4.28 MX$74.1

25.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.19 CLP 4,605

$8.57 MX$148

-39.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CLP 1,437

$1.32 MX$22.85

22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CLP 1,990

$1.31 MX$22.62

70.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 CLP 528

$1.16 MX$20.00

-48.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 CLP 1,479

$2.13 MX$36.84

-21.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 MX$37.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 MX$91.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,268

$1.26 MX$21.84

13.49%

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

$15.8K CLP 14.1M

$15.7K MX$270.9K

1.11%

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

$18.1K CLP 16.1M

$21.3K MX$367.9K

-14.96%

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

$97.8 CLP 86.8K

$83.7 MX$1,447

16.90%

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

$19.03 CLP 16.9K

$22.49 MX$389

-15.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.10 CLP 25.8K

$28.48 MX$493

2.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.85 CLP 38.0K

$32.57 MX$563

31.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.36 CLP 21.6K

$15.60 MX$270

56.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 CLP 4,363

$4.56 MX$79.0

7.89%

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

$272 CLP 241.6K

$206 MX$3,569

31.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,852 MX$49.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CLP 47.9K

$26.76 MX$463

101.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.42 CLP 16.3K

$31.13 MX$539

-40.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 CLP 45.6K

$79.0 MX$1,366

-34.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 CLP 70.6K

$45.00 MX$778

76.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 CLP 543.5K

$722 MX$12.5K

-15.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 CLP 349.2K

$391 MX$6,770

0.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 CLP 938.0K

$1,483 MX$25.6K

-28.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 CLP 523.4K

$1,214 MX$21.0K

-51.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,853 CLP 4.3M

$3,338 MX$57.7K

45.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,893 MX$32.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$680 CLP 603.2K

$769 MX$13.3K

-11.65%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tulum: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $612 in Valdivia and $722 in Tulum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tulum pays 13% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $44.00 in Valdivia vs $51.0 in Tulum. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $194, 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

On paper, Tulum earns 13% less. 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: $612 in Valdivia versus $722 in Tulum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Valdivia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tulum – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $44.00 in Valdivia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,057 in Tulum versus $1,057 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.

It comes down to priorities – Tulum wins on affordability, Valdivia on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.