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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $620 in Iquitos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,145 in Iquitos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,670 in Iquitos, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 103% more than Iquitos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Iquitos are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Iquitos 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.22 PEN 14.23

177.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$36.59 PEN 123

14.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.99 PEN 23.58

50.36%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$3.34 PEN 11.28

7.49%

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

$1.51 MX$26.13

$0.79 PEN 2.68

91.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$0.99 PEN 3.34

-7.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.71 PEN 9.13

9.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$6.85 PEN 23.12

-35.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$1.70 PEN 5.73

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$2.25 PEN 7.59

-16.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.20

$2.42 PEN 8.18

7.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.97 PEN 10.04

181.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.94

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.18

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.80 PEN 2.69

36.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

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

$29.8K MX$516.4K

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$33.54 PEN 113

142.34%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$11.00 PEN 37.13

105.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$8.30 PEN 28.01

262.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$27.67 PEN 93.4

91.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$8.47 PEN 28.59

117.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.2

$5.73 PEN 19.33

-14.14%

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

$201 MX$3,479

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$2,648 PEN 8,936

95.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$84.4 PEN 285

-57.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$33.22 PEN 112

20.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$49.61 PEN 167

60.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$25.12 PEN 84.8

244.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$328 PEN 1,107

198.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

$246 PEN 829

91.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$830 PEN 2,803

98.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$694 PEN 2,341

73.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$591 PEN 1,996

14.41%

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 Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $328 in Iquitos. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Iquitos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $74.0 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 103%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $930 in Iquitos. 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 242% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $37.00 in Iquitos. 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 $620, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.