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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 100% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.13 PEN 14.06

184.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$28.09 PEN 95.5

48.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.64 PEN 19.18

88.65%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$2.54 PEN 8.62

38.58%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.82 PEN 2.78

84.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.37 PEN 1.25

162.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.16 PEN 7.33

36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.85 PEN 19.90

-23.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.61 PEN 5.48

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.28 PEN 4.35

47.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.23 PEN 4.19

33.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.15 PEN 7.29

16.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.52 PEN 18.75

51.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.17 PEN 17.59

61.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$7.76 PEN 26.38

38.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.49 PEN 5.07

74.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.17 PEN 3.97

24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.19 PEN 4.04

59.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$0.77 PEN 2.61

170.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.55 PEN 1.86

223.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.54 PEN 1.84

305.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.45 PEN 1.51

131.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.72 PEN 2.44

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$4.87 PEN 16.56

-16.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.04 PEN 17.12

104.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$2.46 PEN 8.38

-30.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$2.31 PEN 7.87

11.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.29 PEN 0.99

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.06 PEN 7.02

58.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$2.06 PEN 7.01

20.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$12.77 PEN 43.43

-74.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.54 PEN 5.24

-14.94%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$18.6K PEN 63.2K

62.97%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$25.5K PEN 86.6K

-8.04%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$39.14 PEN 133

111.73%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.57 PEN 35.94

110.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$31.04 PEN 106

-5.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$21.22 PEN 72.1

143.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$8.34 PEN 28.37

119.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$4.49 PEN 15.27

12.92%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$60.0 PEN 204

234.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,277 PEN 21.3K

-16.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$37.00 PEN 126

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$22.10 PEN 75.1

80.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$62.8 PEN 214

24.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$56.3 PEN 191

54.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$240 PEN 817

304.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$158 PEN 538

195.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$540 PEN 1,836

203.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$386 PEN 1,314

215.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$1,956 PEN 6,650

101.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$993 PEN 3,377

554.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$650 PEN 2,210

2.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-23.87%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $240 in Arequipa. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $171 – 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

Playa del Carmen vs Arequipa: 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $974 in Arequipa. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $28.00 in Arequipa. 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.