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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $633 in Iquitos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,133 in Iquitos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,633 in Iquitos, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 101% 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

$11.87 MX$204

$4.21 PEN 14.30

181.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$36.32 PEN 123

18.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.96 PEN 23.65

53.02%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.29 PEN 11.18

4.86%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.86 PEN 2.92

74.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.94 PEN 3.20

1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.84 PEN 9.67

6.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$6.84 PEN 23.27

-32.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.63 PEN 5.55

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.15 PEN 7.32

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.41 PEN 8.20

7.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.11 PEN 10.56

169.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.85 PEN 2.87

28.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$33.11 PEN 113

150.68%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$10.73 PEN 36.48

111.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$8.29 PEN 28.18

255.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$27.82 PEN 94.6

83.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$8.46 PEN 28.77

116.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.61 PEN 19.07

-12.12%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,698 PEN 9,171

95.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$83.5 PEN 284

-55.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$33.64 PEN 114

18.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$49.23 PEN 167

62.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$24.79 PEN 84.3

260.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$337 PEN 1,147

183.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$254 PEN 864

87.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$842 PEN 2,862

95.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$700 PEN 2,381

74.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$579 PEN 1,967

15.29%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Iquitos: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $337 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 15% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Iquitos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $73.0 – 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 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $950 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 241% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $36.00 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 $633, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.