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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $726 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,150 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,573 in Arequipa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 78% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Arequipa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Arequipa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.59 PEN 12.04

226.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$29.83 PEN 100

56.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$5.85 PEN 19.63

99.15%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.61 PEN 8.75

56.70%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.83 PEN 2.79

65.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.36 PEN 1.22

130.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.21 PEN 7.40

51.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.34 PEN 14.56

59.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.37 PEN 4.59

26.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$1.45 PEN 4.85

55.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.53 PEN 5.13

15.69%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$2.36 PEN 7.91

15.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.46 PEN 21.66

42.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.47 PEN 14.98

99.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$7.44 PEN 24.95

69.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.83 PEN 6.14

65.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.25 PEN 4.20

25.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$1.16 PEN 3.91

83.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$1.02 PEN 3.43

121.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$0.67 PEN 2.26

198.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.72 PEN 2.42

186.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.56 PEN 1.89

110.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.77 PEN 2.57

55.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$5.22 PEN 17.51

-11.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$5.29 PEN 17.74

102.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$2.89 PEN 9.69

-43.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.40 PEN 8.04

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.29 PEN 0.97

96.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.10 PEN 7.05

159.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.05 PEN 6.86

80.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$12.85 PEN 43.08

-53.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.52 PEN 5.08

1.97%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$18.6K PEN 62.3K

20.25%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$26.0K PEN 87.3K

-0.34%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$24.42 PEN 81.9

264.99%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$10.19 PEN 34.16

145.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$23.41 PEN 78.5

34.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$25.53 PEN 85.6

165.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$8.36 PEN 28.04

245.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$7.50 PEN 25.16

-32.67%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$75.6 PEN 253

197.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$6,836 PEN 22.9K

-38.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$49.44 PEN 166

-4.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$26.25 PEN 88.0

71.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$69.3 PEN 232

18.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$59.7 PEN 200

54.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$362 PEN 1,214

195.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$240 PEN 804

69.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$731 PEN 2,452

164.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$421 PEN 1,412

209.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,995 PEN 6,688

100.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,016 PEN 3,406

552.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$656 PEN 2,198

14.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-23.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $362 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 14% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $179 – 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 78% 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,089 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $30.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% 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 $726, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $726 versus $1,293 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.