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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $641 per month in Iquitos vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,154 per month in Iquitos vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,666 per month in Iquitos vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Iquitos is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iquitos and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Iquitos 52% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 PEN 14.32

$11.94 MX$208

-65.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.24 PEN 127

$42.75 MX$744

-15.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 24.01

$10.59 MX$184

-35.41%

Cappuccino

$3.36 PEN 11.78

$3.62 MX$63.0

-7.18%

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

$0.81 PEN 2.86

$1.47 MX$25.54

-44.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 PEN 3.53

$0.94 MX$16.41

6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 PEN 9.97

$3.09 MX$53.8

-8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 PEN 25.02

$4.46 MX$77.6

59.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 6.02

$1.43 MX$24.80

19.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 PEN 7.89

$1.88 MX$32.79

19.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

Eggs

$2.37 PEN 8.34

$2.64 MX$45.99

-10.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 PEN 10.69

$8.29 MX$144

-63.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 3.06

$1.04 MX$18.04

-16.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$33.44 PEN 117

$82.0 MX$1,427

-59.22%

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

$10.80 PEN 37.90

$22.45 MX$391

-51.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.32 PEN 29.20

$29.66 MX$516

-71.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.27 PEN 99.2

$51.9 MX$903

-45.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.16 PEN 28.63

$18.67 MX$325

-56.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 PEN 19.24

$4.97 MX$86.5

10.26%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,667 PEN 9,363

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-49.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.7 PEN 287

$36.34 MX$632

124.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.05 PEN 116

$40.05 MX$697

-17.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.8 PEN 178

$79.9 MX$1,390

-36.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.37 PEN 89.1

$88.9 MX$1,547

-71.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 PEN 1,155

$963 MX$16.8K

-65.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 PEN 870

$465 MX$8,086

-46.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 PEN 2,908

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-48.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 PEN 2,459

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-42.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$575 PEN 2,020

$720 MX$12.5K

-20.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Iquitos: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Iquitos versus $963 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 25% 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 $36.00 in Iquitos versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $75.0 vs $251 – making Iquitos 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 101%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $962 per month in Iquitos and $1,930 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 Iquitos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 235% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Iquitos and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iquitos, where all-in costs run around $641, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Iquitos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Iquitos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Iquitos. 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.