Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Arequipa and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Arequipa vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,071 per month in Arequipa vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Arequipa vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arequipa is about 48% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arequipa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 PEN 13.78

$11.99 MX$209

-66.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 PEN 94.5

$41.78 MX$728

-33.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 PEN 18.52

$10.75 MX$187

-49.12%

Cappuccino

$2.58 PEN 8.73

$3.50 MX$60.9

-26.29%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.76

$1.45 MX$25.22

-43.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.88 MX$15.41

-57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.59

$2.95 MX$51.3

-24.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 PEN 20.70

$4.51 MX$78.6

35.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 PEN 5.25

$1.43 MX$24.94

8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 PEN 4.29

$1.84 MX$31.99

-30.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.36

$1.57 MX$27.31

-17.83%

Eggs

$2.07 PEN 7.00

$2.51 MX$43.74

-17.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.57 PEN 18.87

$8.28 MX$144

-32.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 PEN 17.87

$8.43 MX$147

-37.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 PEN 25.68

$10.68 MX$186

-29.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 PEN 4.96

$2.61 MX$45.43

-44.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.99

$1.44 MX$25.04

-18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.14

$1.96 MX$34.16

-37.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.63

$2.09 MX$36.47

-62.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 PEN 2.01

$1.85 MX$32.24

-68.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.97

$2.17 MX$37.74

-73.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.52

$1.03 MX$17.96

-56.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$1.07 MX$18.70

-32.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 PEN 17.10

$4.10 MX$71.4

23.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 PEN 17.65

$10.17 MX$177

-48.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 PEN 8.39

$1.68 MX$29.17

47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PEN 7.47

$2.53 MX$43.98

-13.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.51 MX$8.87

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 PEN 7.08

$3.23 MX$56.3

-35.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 6.92

$2.41 MX$41.88

-15.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.92 PEN 43.79

$3.23 MX$56.2

300.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 PEN 5.48

$1.32 MX$23.00

22.73%

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

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-36.94%

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

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

7.14%

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

$39.23 PEN 133

$82.0 MX$1,428

-52.16%

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

$10.33 PEN 34.99

$22.95 MX$400

-54.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.48 PEN 103

$30.11 MX$524

1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.96 PEN 74.4

$52.0 MX$905

-57.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 PEN 27.70

$18.53 MX$323

-55.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 PEN 15.11

$4.98 MX$86.6

-10.44%

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

$59.9 PEN 203

$197 MX$3,438

-69.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

19.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 PEN 128

$35.60 MX$620

6.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.29 PEN 75.5

$40.33 MX$702

-44.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 PEN 214

$78.8 MX$1,371

-19.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 PEN 191

$88.9 MX$1,549

-36.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 PEN 826

$947 MX$16.5K

-74.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 PEN 533

$474 MX$8,254

-66.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 PEN 1,851

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-66.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 PEN 1,322

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-67.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,023 PEN 6,856

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-50.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 PEN 3,369

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-84.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 PEN 2,198

$654 MX$11.4K

-0.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

31.35%

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

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Arequipa versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $249 – making Arequipa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Arequipa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 93% more than Arequipa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $977 per month in Arequipa and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arequipa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arequipa and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arequipa, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Arequipa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arequipa costs $652 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arequipa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.