Playa del Carmen vs Santiago: cost of living for digital nomads
Playa del Carmen, Mexico and Santiago, Chile, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.
The short version
- Playa del Carmen is about 7% cheaper than Santiago for a month of nomad living ($1,670 vs $1,800).
- Rent is the biggest gap: $820 in Playa del Carmen against $850 in Santiago.
- Santiago scores higher on safety (8/10 vs 7/10).
- Internet is faster in Santiago: 200 Mbps typical against 80 Mbps.
- Playa del Carmen is tropical; Santiago is mediterranean.
Playa del Carmen wins 5 of the measured lines; Santiago wins 2.
| Line | Playa del Carmen | Santiago |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total (USD) | $1,670 | $1,800 |
| Rent | $820 | $850 |
| Food | $430 | $460 |
| Transport | $50 | $50 |
| Coworking | $130 | $140 |
| Safety (out of 10) | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 80 | 200 |
| Climate | tropical | mediterranean |
| City size | mid | metro |
| Setting | coast | inland |
| Nomad score (out of 10) | 9/10 | 7/10 |
Compare Playa del Carmen with
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Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.