Arequipa vs Playa del Carmen

A two-bedroom in the Real Ibiza complexes 8–10.5k pesos, in Centro more often 20–21k, in Playacar 23.5–28k, near Mayakoba 19–27.5k.

SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Playa del Carmen · checked 29 Sep 2026

According to the 2020 census the city has 304,942 residents, the municipality 333,800. 61% of residents were born in another state of Mexico.

OfficialINEGI: 2020 census, results by locality in Quintana Roo (ITER) · checked 29 Sep 2026

A three-bedroom apartment in Yanahuara or Cayma is 2000–4400 soles a month, most often 2500–3000 (about 700–900 dollars). Building maintenance fees on top.

SpecialistUrbania: apartments for rent in Yanahuara · checked 29 Sep 2026

A three-bedroom apartment in Cayma by listings: 157–490k dollars, median about 225k. Sellers quote prices in dollars.

SpecialistUrbania: apartments for sale in Cayma · checked 29 Sep 2026

A two-bedroom by listings: about 20,000 pesos a month. Of 150 offers, 33 are under 15k, 61 are 15 to 25k, 56 are above 25k.

SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Playa del Carmen · checked 29 Sep 2026

Two-bedrooms for sale: 286 listings up to 4.5 million pesos, 275 from 4.5 to 7 million, 312 above. On the first page about 40% of prices are in dollars.

SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for sale in Playa del Carmen · checked 29 Sep 2026

The average resident of the region spends 876 soles a month, which for a family of four is about 3500. Rent alone for a three-bedroom apartment in Cayma is 2500–3000.

OfficialINEI: Arequipa, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026

A rough guide is about 830 soles a month for a family of four: food accounts for 23.7% of the urban price basket, and average spending per person is 876 soles.

OfficialINEI: Arequipa, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026

The INEGI poverty line for cities is 4,905.33 pesos per person, 19,621 a month for a family of four (August 2026). A lower threshold without rent, not a real budget.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 29 Sep 2026

INEGI basket, August 2026: 1,767 pesos per person excluding meals out, about 7,070 a month for a family of four. This is an average for cities across the country, not the price in Playa.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 1 Oct 2026

The most expensive schools in the city charged 750–1775 soles a month in 2024. In 80% of private schools the fee is below 400 soles a month.

SpecialistEncuentro: 80% of private schools in Arequipa charge under 400 soles, table of monthly fees 2023-2024 from Identicole · checked 29 Sep 2026

Almost every second pupil in Arequipa attends a private school: 47% across the two city education authorities, 54% in the northern one (2024 census).

OfficialINEI: Arequipa, statistical compendium 2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Two schools in Playa: IPC La Salle 4,500–6,450 pesos a month (2026–2027), Colegio Inglés up to 8,540 (2025–2026). Entry fee 5,700–8,990 once a year.

OfficialIPC La Salle, Playa del Carmen: home page, tuition questions · checked 30 Sep 2026

The city is at 2335 m, just below the CDC altitude sickness threshold (2450 m). For children the CDC sees no particular risk, and it advises caution with infants under 6 weeks.

OfficialCDC Yellow Book: high-altitude travel and altitude sickness · checked 29 Sep 2026

The level III public hospital Honorio Delgado: paediatrics, neonatology, intensive care, neurosurgery, oncology. The social insurer EsSalud has 29 facilities in the region.

OfficialHospital Regional III Honorio Delgado: website and list of services · checked 29 Sep 2026

Private Hospiten Riviera Maya: 23 beds, 2 intensive care, 24-hour emergency, with paediatrics. Hospiten in Cancún has 34 beds and 10 intensive care.

SpecialistHospiten Riviera Maya: hospital page, capacity and departments · checked 29 Sep 2026

The airport is 8 km from the centre and is open between 5 and 22 hours. The departures board on 29 September 2026 showed 22 departures: 20 to Lima and 2 to Cusco, with no international ones.

SpecialistAeropuertos Andinos del Perú: Arequipa airport and departures board · checked 29 Sep 2026

To Cancún airport it is about 58 km by road, calculated at 48 minutes without traffic. To the new Tulum airport, 105 km, about an hour and a half.

SpecialistOSRM using OpenStreetMap maps: route from Fundadores park to Cancún airport · checked 29 Sep 2026

In winter it is about 5.5 degrees at night and 21–22 during the day. Daytime temperature is almost the same all year round, with a day-night difference of 13–16 degrees.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Arequipa · checked 29 Sep 2026

About 95 mm a year, and almost all of it in January–March. From April to November, 0 to 2 mm a month falls.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Arequipa · checked 29 Sep 2026

Even in July, SENAMHI forecast an ultraviolet index of 8–12 for Arequipa, from “very high” to “extreme”. The weather service advises staying out of the sun from 9 to 16.

SpecialistInfobae: SENAMHI warns of extreme ultraviolet in the southern sierra, 4-6 July 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

The coolest month is January: on average from 19.4 to 28.6 degrees at the Cozumel station across from the city. No cold in the usual sense.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Cozumel · checked 29 Sep 2026

August is the hottest month: average maximum 33 degrees, about 23.5 at night (Cozumel station). From May to August 32–33 degrees in the day.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Cozumel · checked 29 Sep 2026

About 1,490 mm a year. Dry from February to April (32–60 mm a month), rains from June to October, peaking in September and October at 240 mm each.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Cozumel · checked 29 Sep 2026

In August 2026 there were about 1.7 million tonnes of seaweed in the western Caribbean, more than in 75% of years since 2011. A decline is expected by November.

SpecialistUSF: sargassum bulletin for the Caribbean Sea, August 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

IGP calls Misti the most dangerous volcano in Peru: more than a million people live on its slopes and around it. The last eruption was in the fifteenth century.

OfficialIGP: volcanic Arequipa, 5 facts about active volcanoes · checked 29 Sep 2026

The 2001 earthquake of magnitude 8.2 caused shaking of intensity VIII on the Mercalli scale in Arequipa. According to IGP, about 30% of the energy off the southern coast has still not been released.

OfficialIGP: memories of the earthquake that will happen again (Arequipa, 2001) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Four hurricanes made landfall near the city: Delta and Zeta (October 2020), Grace (August 2021), Beryl (July 2024). Delta was category 2, the rest category 1.

OfficialNHC: Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Beryl (AL022024) · checked 29 Sep 2026

In 2024 the Solidaridad municipality had 84 homicides, about 25 per 100k residents. In Cancún 39 per 100k, for the state 35.

OfficialINEGI: open data on registered deaths for 2024 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Movistar sells home fibre at 400 Mbit/s for 89.90 soles a month, 79.90 for the first two months. Arequipa is on Movistar's list of fibre zones.

SpecialistMovistar Perú: “Solo internet” plans · checked 29 Sep 2026

Fiber of 50–200 Mbps costs 300–725 pesos a month. Telmex, izzi, Megacable and Totalplay are 349–390, often a promotional price. Data from a comparison site, September 2026.

SpecialistSelectra México: internet in Playa del Carmen, providers and plans, September 2026 · checked 1 Oct 2026

For consumption above 140 kWh, electricity costs 0.66 soles per kWh plus 3.60 soles a month, without IGV tax. 200 kWh is about 136 soles before tax.

OfficialSEAL: tariff schedule No. 003-2026 for end users, from 4 February 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Water and sewerage: the first 10 m³ at 1.65 soles, then 2.96 and 6.00. A bill for 15 m³ is about 41 soles with tax; this is a calculation based on the SEDAPAR tariff.

OfficialSunass: resolution 00146-2025-SUNASS-CD, SEDAPAR tariff structure for year 5 of the 2021-2026 period · checked 30 Sep 2026

There is no piped gas concessionaire in Arequipa; the network is being built under the state Bonogas programme in five districts. The rest cook on cylinders, and we did not find their price.

OfficialMINEM: first stage of gas network construction in Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna (Sur Oeste concession) · checked 30 Sep 2026

Tariff for hot regions 1B or 1C: 1.136 pesos per kWh in the base block, 1.381 in the intermediate, above that 4.041. For 300 kWh outside summer about 820–870 pesos with VAT.

SpecialistAiregula Solutions: CFE tariffs for September 2026, residential 1 and 1A-1F · checked 30 Sep 2026

Water is supplied by Aguakan. The minimum, per the press, is about 203 pesos a month, up to 298 with sewerage (figures for the state). We did not find the price per cubic metre above the minimum.

SpecialistEl Punto Sobre la i: reform of Quintana Roo's Ley de Cuotas y Tarifas de Agua Potable, minimum payment · checked 30 Sep 2026

Price cap for liquefied LP gas (CNE) in Solidaridad for 27.09–3.10.2026: 21.62 pesos per kg, 11.67 per litre. A 20 kg cylinder at the cap is about 432 pesos.

OfficialComisión Nacional de Energía: maximum LP gas prices from 27 September to 3 October 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026