Playa del Carmen vs Valparaíso
In short
Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.
Rent
✓in Valparaíso cheaper — −55%
Family budget
✓in Valparaíso cheaper — −38%
Internet
✓in Valparaíso cheaper — −29%
In numbers
Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.
House or apartment rent
per monthPlaya del Carmen≈ $698–1,490MX$12,500–26,750✓Valparaíso≈ $435–556CLP 430–550kcheaper by 55%Family budget
per monthPlaya del Carmen≈ $1,100MX$19,621✓Valparaíso≈ $679CLP 671,031cheaper by 38%Internet
per monthPlaya del Carmen≈ $17–40MX$300–725✓Valparaíso≈ $13–27CLP 12,990–26,990cheaper by 29%Private school
per month✓Playa del Carmen≈ $250–474MX$4,500–8,540cheaper by 39%Valparaíso≈ $594CLP 587kWinter
averagePlaya del Carmen19–29 °C19–29 °CValparaíso12 °C12 °CPrecipitation
per yearPlaya del Carmen1,490 mm1,490 mmValparaíso523.9 mm523.9 mmReady-made house
purchasePlaya del Carmen≈ $251–391kMX$4.5–7M✓Valparaíso≈ $80,900 – 187kCLP 80–185Mcheaper by 58%
By topic
A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.
Daily life
Playa del Carmen
According to the 2020 census the city has 304,942 residents, the municipality 333,800. 61% of residents were born in another state of Mexico.
OfficialINEGI: 2020 census, results by locality in Quintana Roo (ITER) · checked 29 Sep 2026
A two-bedroom in the Real Ibiza complexes 8–10.5k pesos, in Centro more often 20–21k, in Playacar 23.5–28k, near Mayakoba 19–27.5k.
SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Playa del Carmen · checked 29 Sep 2026
Valparaíso
The 2024 census counted 284,938 people in the commune of Valparaíso and 334,871 in neighbouring Viña del Mar. With Quilpué and Villa Alemana it is one metro area.
OfficialINE: first results of the 2024 census for the Valparaíso region · checked 6 Oct 2026
Housing
Playa del Carmen
A two-bedroom by listings: about 20,000 pesos a month. Of 150 offers, 33 are under 15k, 61 are 15 to 25k, 56 are above 25k.
SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Playa del Carmen · checked 29 Sep 2026
Two-bedrooms for sale: 286 listings up to 4.5 million pesos, 275 from 4.5 to 7 million, 312 above. On the first page about 40% of prices are in dollars.
SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for sale in Playa del Carmen · checked 29 Sep 2026
Valparaíso
A two-bedroom apartment in listings costs 430–550 thousand pesos a month, median 480 thousand (about 495 dollars). A one-bedroom is about 395 thousand.
SpecialistChilepropiedades: apartments for long-term rent in the commune of Valparaíso, first eight pages of results (80 listings out of 197) · checked 6 Oct 2026
A 2–4 bedroom house in listings costs 80–185 million pesos, median 170 million (about 175 thousand dollars). By deals, a square metre is a third of Viña's price.
SpecialistChilepropiedades: houses for sale in the commune of Valparaíso, first five pages of results (50 listings out of 331) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Money and prices
Playa del Carmen
The INEGI poverty line for cities is 4,905.33 pesos per person, 19,621 a month for a family of four (August 2026). A lower threshold without rent, not a real budget.
OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 29 Sep 2026
INEGI basket, August 2026: 1,767 pesos per person excluding meals out, about 7,070 a month for a family of four. This is an average for cities across the country, not the price in Playa.
OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 1 Oct 2026
Valparaíso
The minimum food basket costs 92,327 pesos per person a month, about 369 thousand for four (380 dollars). The figure is national.
OfficialChile's Ministry of Social Development: cost of the basic food basket and poverty lines, August 2026 report · checked 6 Oct 2026
Poverty line for a family of four without rent: 671,031 pesos a month. With a two-bedroom flat, food, power, water and internet, about 0.95–1.1 million.
OfficialChile's Ministry of Social Development: cost of the basic food basket and poverty lines, August 2026 report · checked 6 Oct 2026
Family and kids
Playa del Carmen
Two schools in Playa: IPC La Salle 4,500–6,450 pesos a month (2026–2027), Colegio Inglés up to 8,540 (2025–2026). Entry fee 5,700–8,990 once a year.
OfficialIPC La Salle, Playa del Carmen: home page, tuition questions · checked 30 Sep 2026
Valparaíso
The German School of Valparaíso (located in neighbouring Viña) charges 14.28 UF a month, about 587 thousand pesos (600 dollars), plus a 30 UF entrance fee.
OfficialColegio Alemán de Valparaíso (located in Viña del Mar): contract for the 2026 school year · checked 6 Oct 2026
Healthcare
Playa del Carmen
Private Hospiten Riviera Maya: 23 beds, 2 intensive care, 24-hour emergency, with paediatrics. Hospiten in Cancún has 34 beds and 10 intensive care.
SpecialistHospiten Riviera Maya: hospital page, capacity and departments · checked 29 Sep 2026
Valparaíso
Valparaíso itself has three accredited high-complexity hospitals: Van Buren and Eduardo Pereira hospitals and Clínica Valparaíso. Neighbouring Viña has seven more.
OfficialSuperintendencia de Salud: register of accredited healthcare providers in the Valparaíso region · checked 6 Oct 2026
Transport
Playa del Carmen
To Cancún airport it is about 58 km by road, calculated at 48 minutes without traffic. To the new Tulum airport, 105 km, about an hour and a half.
SpecialistOSRM using OpenStreetMap maps: route from Fundadores park to Cancún airport · checked 29 Sep 2026
Valparaíso
Santiago is 97 km away, 1 h 40 min to 2 h by bus. About 369 departures a day, the first at 06:10, the last at 22:25; a regular ticket costs 4–6 thousand pesos.
SpecialistCheckMyBus: buses Santiago – Valparaíso, timetable and prices · checked 6 Oct 2026
Climate
Playa del Carmen
The coolest month is January: on average from 19.4 to 28.6 degrees at the Cozumel station across from the city. No cold in the usual sense.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Cozumel · checked 29 Sep 2026
August is the hottest month: average maximum 33 degrees, about 23.5 at night (Cozumel station). From May to August 32–33 degrees in the day.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Cozumel · checked 29 Sep 2026
About 1,490 mm a year. Dry from February to April (32–60 mm a month), rains from June to October, peaking in September and October at 240 mm each.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Cozumel · checked 29 Sep 2026
Valparaíso
The 1991–2020 normal is 524 mm a year, almost all from May to September, 162 mm in June. Summer is nearly dry: January–February about 1 mm. 2025 had 444 mm.
OfficialChilean Meteorological Office: 2025 rainfall and the 1991–2020 normal, Rodelillo station (Valparaíso), code 330007 · checked 6 Oct 2026
The mean temperature in July 2026 at the Rodelillo station (Valparaíso) was 12.0 °C: about 16 by day, about 9 at night. The coldest night of the month was 2.6 °C.
OfficialChilean Meteorological Office: July 2026 temperature, Rodelillo station (Valparaíso), code 330007 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Nature
Playa del Carmen
In August 2026 there were about 1.7 million tonnes of seaweed in the western Caribbean, more than in 75% of years since 2011. A decline is expected by November.
SpecialistUSF: sargassum bulletin for the Caribbean Sea, August 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Valparaíso
Nothing yet
Safety
Playa del Carmen
Four hurricanes made landfall near the city: Delta and Zeta (October 2020), Grace (August 2021), Beryl (July 2024). Delta was category 2, the rest category 1.
OfficialNHC: Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Beryl (AL022024) · checked 29 Sep 2026
In 2024 the Solidaridad municipality had 84 homicides, about 25 per 100k residents. In Cancún 39 per 100k, for the state 35.
OfficialINEGI: open data on registered deaths for 2024 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Valparaíso
In 2025 the commune of Valparaíso had 24 homicides, neighbouring Viña 15. That is about 8.4 per 100 thousand residents, above the national average (5.4).
OfficialReport on homicide victims in Chile for 2025, with figures by region and commune (published on the Fiscalía website) · checked 6 Oct 2026
The lower city by the sea is in the potential tsunami zone: SENAPRED publishes separate evacuation plans for the Almendral and Puerto sectors.
OfficialSENAPRED: evacuation plans for the Valparaíso region, including for tsunamis · checked 6 Oct 2026
Internet and phone
Playa del Carmen
Fiber of 50–200 Mbps costs 300–725 pesos a month. Telmex, izzi, Megacable and Totalplay are 349–390, often a promotional price. Data from a comparison site, September 2026.
SpecialistSelectra México: internet in Playa del Carmen, providers and plans, September 2026 · checked 1 Oct 2026
Valparaíso
Fibre from 12,990 pesos a month on promotion; the median price after the promotion is 26,990 (about 28 dollars). Tariffs are national; availability is checked by address.
SpecialistRedify: catalogue of home fibre internet plans in Chile, October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Services
Playa del Carmen
Price cap for liquefied LP gas (CNE) in Solidaridad for 27.09–3.10.2026: 21.62 pesos per kg, 11.67 per litre. A 20 kg cylinder at the cap is about 432 pesos.
OfficialComisión Nacional de Energía: maximum LP gas prices from 27 September to 3 October 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026
Tariff for hot regions 1B or 1C: 1.136 pesos per kWh in the base block, 1.381 in the intermediate, above that 4.041. For 300 kWh outside summer about 820–870 pesos with VAT.
SpecialistAiregula Solutions: CFE tariffs for September 2026, residential 1 and 1A-1F · checked 30 Sep 2026
Water is supplied by Aguakan. The minimum, per the press, is about 203 pesos a month, up to 298 with sewerage (figures for the state). We did not find the price per cubic metre above the minimum.
SpecialistEl Punto Sobre la i: reform of Quintana Roo's Ley de Cuotas y Tarifas de Agua Potable, minimum payment · checked 30 Sep 2026
Valparaíso
Chilquinta: about 292.5 pesos per kWh plus 1,245 a month, IVA not mentioned. 300 kWh is about 89 thousand, with 19% IVA about 106 thousand pesos (109 dollars).
OfficialChilquinta: electricity tariffs for residential customers, table by commune, September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
ESVAL: the average bill for 13 m³ a month in Greater Valparaíso is 30,314 pesos. At the decree's base rates, 15 m³ with sewerage is about 28 thousand pesos with IVA.
OfficialDiario Oficial, 2 May 2026: Ministry of Economy Decree No. 4/2026, ESVAL tariff formulas for 2025–2030 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Gasvalpo piped gas: 1,665 pesos per m³ in the 60–100 m³ band, IVA included. A winter month with gas heating (100 m³) is about 176 thousand, 30 m³ about 58 thousand.
OfficialGasvalpo: list of services and natural gas tariffs, updated 1 September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

