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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $468 in Moquegua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $784 in Moquegua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,099 in Moquegua, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 184% more than Moquegua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Moquegua are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Moquegua 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$3.69 PEN 12.37

252.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$29.34 PEN 98.4

57.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$6.05 PEN 20.28

108.10%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.47 PEN 8.26

61.94%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.80 PEN 2.68

77.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.42 PEN 1.40

92.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.33 PEN 7.80

30.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$6.03 PEN 20.21

13.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.37 PEN 4.60

24.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.42 PEN 4.77

56.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.51 PEN 5.06

13.91%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.32 PEN 7.78

16.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$6.51 PEN 21.81

43.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.67 PEN 15.66

89.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$7.45 PEN 24.98

71.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.81 PEN 6.07

72.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.27 PEN 4.26

22.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.17 PEN 3.93

83.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.02 PEN 3.43

130.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.68 PEN 2.29

197.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.69 PEN 2.31

188.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.56 PEN 1.88

121.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.76 PEN 2.55

56.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$5.06 PEN 16.98

-8.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$5.31 PEN 17.79

97.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$3.07 PEN 10.28

-48.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.39 PEN 8.00

22.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$2.11 PEN 7.08

152.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$2.04 PEN 6.84

82.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$13.04 PEN 43.72

-55.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.55 PEN 5.18

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$19.2K PEN 64.5K

16.30%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$26.1K PEN 87.6K

-2.19%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$24.11 PEN 80.8

270.30%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$10.20 PEN 34.20

128.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$23.71 PEN 79.5

33.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$7.26 PEN 24.35

-30.30%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$77.3 PEN 259

187.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$6,825 PEN 22.9K

-37.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$49.52 PEN 166

-6.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$27.22 PEN 91.3

63.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$69.6 PEN 233

37.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$60.4 PEN 202

53.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

-22.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Moquegua: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Moquegua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $181 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 184%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $701 in Moquegua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $468 in Moquegua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $77.3 in Moquegua. 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 $468, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.