Cost of Living Comparison Between Antigua Guatemala and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Antigua Guatemala and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,199 in Antigua Guatemala versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,057 in Antigua Guatemala versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Antigua Guatemala is roughly 4% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antigua Guatemala 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 Q 53.2

$11.71 MX$198

-40.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 Q 394

$46.59 MX$788

10.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 Q 58.8

$11.65 MX$197

-33.82%

Cappuccino

$3.44 Q 26.21

$4.09 MX$69.2

-15.89%

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

$1.11 Q 8.50

$1.37 MX$23.23

-18.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 Q 6.48

$0.83 MX$14.09

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 Q 25.13

$3.35 MX$56.7

-1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 Q 36.93

$6.91 MX$117

-29.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 Q 15.38

$1.73 MX$29.20

16.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 Q 22.31

$2.26 MX$38.21

29.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.51

$1.77 MX$29.91

-7.34%

Eggs

$2.53 Q 19.30

$2.73 MX$46.19

-7.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.50 Q 41.98

$9.18 MX$155

-40.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 Q 69.7

$8.92 MX$151

2.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 Q 78.4

$12.60 MX$213

-18.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 Q 29.97

$3.02 MX$51.1

30.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 Q 12.90

$1.57 MX$26.55

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 Q 21.44

$2.13 MX$35.93

31.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 Q 12.16

$2.26 MX$38.28

-29.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.66

$2.00 MX$33.88

-23.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 Q 13.10

$2.06 MX$34.90

-16.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.66

$1.18 MX$19.94

-37.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Q 8.75

$1.20 MX$20.35

-4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 Q 30.52

$4.63 MX$78.4

-13.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 Q 61.4

$10.69 MX$181

-24.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 Q 13.78

$1.62 MX$27.38

11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 Q 20.47

$2.88 MX$48.70

-6.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 Q 15.59

$0.57 MX$9.69

257.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 Q 34.88

$5.45 MX$92.1

-16.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.38 Q 79.2

$5.98 MX$101

73.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 Q 9.26

$1.55 MX$26.26

-21.94%

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

$23.0K Q 175.6K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

3.09%

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

$21.7K Q 165.7K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-16.27%

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

$63.5 Q 484

$89.1 MX$1,507

-28.81%

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

$29.10 Q 222

$25.04 MX$423

16.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.90 Q 343

$31.50 MX$532

42.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 Q 390

$67.8 MX$1,146

-24.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.29 Q 208

$28.92 MX$489

-5.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 Q 47.51

$5.05 MX$85.4

23.37%

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

$337 Q 2,573

$225 MX$3,803

49.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,794 Q 51.8K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

60.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.45 Q 339

$47.44 MX$802

-6.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.21 Q 360

$44.98 MX$760

4.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 Q 709

$82.0 MX$1,386

13.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.1 Q 687

$92.1 MX$1,557

-2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 Q 6,924

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-15.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 Q 4,349

$405 MX$6,852

40.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 Q 15.3K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 Q 9,659

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-2.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,968 Q 22.6K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-25.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,183 Q 9,027

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-82.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$540 Q 4,122

$749 MX$12.7K

-27.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

11.45

1.48%

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

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $908 in Antigua Guatemala and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Antigua Guatemala vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $277, with Antigua Guatemala cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Antigua Guatemala and Playa del Carmen differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,341 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $908 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $337 in Antigua Guatemala versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $52.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Antigua Guatemala. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Antigua Guatemala and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.