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 $649 per month in Arequipa vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Arequipa vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,482 per month in Arequipa vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arequipa is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arequipa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Arequipa 52% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 PEN 14.06

$11.73 MX$203

-64.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 PEN 95.5

$41.62 MX$719

-32.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.18

$10.64 MX$184

-46.99%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.62

$3.52 MX$60.8

-27.84%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.78

$1.51 MX$26.09

-45.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.25

$0.97 MX$16.82

-61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$2.95 MX$51.0

-26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 PEN 19.90

$4.45 MX$77.0

31.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$1.38 MX$23.90

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 PEN 4.35

$1.89 MX$32.69

-32.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.19

$1.64 MX$28.29

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.15 PEN 7.29

$2.51 MX$43.30

-14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 PEN 18.75

$8.34 MX$144

-33.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 PEN 17.59

$8.34 MX$144

-38.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.38

$10.73 MX$185

-27.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 PEN 5.07

$2.60 MX$45.00

-42.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 PEN 3.97

$1.46 MX$25.18

-19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.04

$1.90 MX$32.84

-37.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 PEN 2.61

$2.08 MX$35.88

-62.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 PEN 1.86

$1.78 MX$30.68

-69.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PEN 1.84

$2.19 MX$37.76

-75.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 PEN 1.51

$1.04 MX$17.97

-56.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PEN 2.44

$1.08 MX$18.60

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.87 PEN 16.56

$4.08 MX$70.5

19.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 PEN 17.12

$10.32 MX$178

-51.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 PEN 8.38

$1.71 MX$29.59

43.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PEN 7.87

$2.58 MX$44.50

-10.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.51 MX$8.81

-43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 PEN 7.02

$3.26 MX$56.4

-36.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 7.01

$2.49 MX$43.05

-17.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 PEN 43.43

$3.25 MX$56.1

292.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 PEN 5.24

$1.31 MX$22.59

17.56%

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

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-38.64%

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

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

8.74%

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

$39.14 PEN 133

$82.9 MX$1,432

-52.77%

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

$10.57 PEN 35.94

$22.22 MX$384

-52.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.04 PEN 106

$29.34 MX$507

5.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 PEN 72.1

$51.6 MX$892

-58.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 PEN 28.37

$18.32 MX$317

-54.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 PEN 15.27

$5.07 MX$87.5

-11.44%

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

$60.0 PEN 204

$201 MX$3,470

-70.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

20.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.00 PEN 126

$36.92 MX$638

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.10 PEN 75.1

$39.79 MX$688

-44.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 PEN 214

$78.5 MX$1,356

-19.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.3 PEN 191

$87.1 MX$1,505

-35.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 PEN 817

$973 MX$16.8K

-75.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 PEN 538

$468 MX$8,082

-66.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$540 PEN 1,836

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-67.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,314

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-68.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,956 PEN 6,650

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-50.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 PEN 3,377

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-84.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 PEN 2,210

$664 MX$11.5K

-2.12%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Arequipa versus $973 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 2% 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 100% 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 $974 per month in Arequipa and $1,945 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 $649, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $649 versus $1,297 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.