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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $453 per month in Moquegua vs $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $751 per month in Moquegua vs $2,144 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,050 per month in Moquegua vs $3,072 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moquegua is about 63% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Moquegua and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Moquegua 66% lower, Playa del Carmen 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 PEN 11.93

$10.97 MX$197

-68.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.61 PEN 95.1

$44.85 MX$806

-38.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 PEN 20.03

$11.92 MX$214

-51.17%

Cappuccino

$2.56 PEN 8.82

$3.80 MX$68.4

-32.63%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.82

$1.31 MX$23.57

-37.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 PEN 1.27

$0.86 MX$15.39

-56.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 PEN 7.44

$3.21 MX$57.7

-32.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 PEN 15.05

$5.01 MX$90.1

-12.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.59

$1.46 MX$26.20

-8.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 PEN 4.73

$2.33 MX$41.81

-41.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 PEN 5.31

$1.44 MX$25.92

6.94%

Eggs

$2.33 PEN 8.01

$2.46 MX$44.23

-5.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 PEN 21.50

$7.70 MX$138

-18.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 PEN 15.95

$7.89 MX$142

-41.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 PEN 25.38

$12.80 MX$230

-42.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 PEN 6.22

$2.92 MX$52.4

-38.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.17

$1.42 MX$25.55

-14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 PEN 4.13

$2.57 MX$46.10

-53.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.63

$2.14 MX$38.41

-50.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.38

$1.95 MX$34.99

-64.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 PEN 2.39

$1.94 MX$34.79

-64.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 PEN 1.89

$1.15 MX$20.68

-52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.56

$1.22 MX$21.94

-39.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 PEN 18.19

$4.38 MX$78.6

20.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 PEN 17.58

$9.85 MX$177

-48.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 PEN 9.38

$1.54 MX$27.63

76.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 PEN 7.75

$2.72 MX$48.80

-17.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$493

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 PEN 7.06

$4.91 MX$88.3

-58.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 PEN 6.97

$3.52 MX$63.3

-42.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.02 PEN 44.83

$5.69 MX$102

128.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 PEN 5.25

$1.54 MX$27.67

-1.30%

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

$18.5K PEN 63.8K

$21.2K MX$381.7K

-12.75%

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

$25.2K PEN 86.9K

$24.5K MX$440.0K

3.10%

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

$23.82 PEN 82.0

$83.6 MX$1,502

-71.51%

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

$10.37 PEN 35.73

$24.03 MX$432

-56.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.27 PEN 80.2

$29.33 MX$527

-20.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,166

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$529

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 PEN 25.26

$5.09 MX$91.4

44.01%

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

$74.5 PEN 257

$208 MX$3,732

-64.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,749 PEN 23.2K

$4,045 MX$72.7K

66.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.42 PEN 167

$44.55 MX$801

8.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.56 PEN 91.5

$42.06 MX$756

-36.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 PEN 234

$75.5 MX$1,357

-9.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 PEN 201

$91.4 MX$1,642

-36.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,921

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$30.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$19.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

31.00%

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

Last update for Moquegua: October 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Moquegua versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $260 – making Moquegua 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 168%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $680 per month in Moquegua and $1,823 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $453 in Moquegua and $1,215 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $74.5 per month in Moquegua and $208 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moquegua, where all-in costs run around $453, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. In Moquegua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Moquegua. 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.