🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $399 in Gaur versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $669 in Gaur versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $938 in Gaur versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Living in Gaur costs roughly 69% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Gaur70% lower, Playa del Carmen4% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gaur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.79NPR 271
$11.94MX$208
-85.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.15NPR 2,900
$42.75MX$744
-55.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.58NPR 996
$10.59MX$184
-37.87%
Cappuccino
$1.49NPR 225
$3.62MX$63.0
-58.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55NPR 82.5
$1.47MX$25.54
-62.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15NPR 22.61
$0.94MX$16.41
-84.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.52NPR 381
$3.09MX$53.8
-18.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54NPR 535
$4.46MX$77.6
-20.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gaur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.75NPR 113
$1.43MX$24.80
-47.55%
White Bread(500g)
$0.55NPR 83.3
$1.88MX$32.79
-70.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.76NPR 116
$1.63MX$28.34
-53.37%
Eggs
$1.70NPR 258
$2.64MX$45.99
-35.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.24NPR 1,096
$8.21MX$143
-11.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.14NPR 475
$8.29MX$144
-62.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.03NPR 913
$11.10MX$193
-45.68%
Apples(1kg)
$2.17NPR 329
$2.65MX$46.14
-18.11%
Banana(1kg)
$1.09NPR 165
$1.50MX$26.11
-27.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.19NPR 181
$1.99MX$34.59
-40.20%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.64NPR 96.7
$2.08MX$36.13
-69.23%
Potato(1kg)
$0.48NPR 72.9
$1.79MX$31.11
-73.18%
Onion(1kg)
$0.65NPR 98.4
$2.18MX$37.87
-70.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.50NPR 75.3
$1.08MX$18.73
-53.70%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.25NPR 37.72
$1.04MX$18.04
-75.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.89NPR 438
$3.97MX$69.1
-27.20%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$10.20MX$178
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26NPR 342
$1.73MX$30.04
30.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33NPR 503
$2.50MX$43.46
33.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Gaur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.21NPR 31.99
$0.52MX$9.02
-59.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.97MX$469
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.21NPR 335
$3.14MX$54.7
-29.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.78NPR 118
$2.40MX$41.80
-67.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.71NPR 562
$3.09MX$53.7
20.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23NPR 186
$1.27MX$22.16
-3.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.6KNPR 4.8M
$30.9KMX$537.3K
2.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.5KNPR 6.1M
$23.3KMX$405.7K
73.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gaur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$26.99NPR 4,086
$82.0MX$1,427
-67.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.02NPR 759
$22.45MX$391
-77.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.46NPR 1,432
$29.66MX$516
-68.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gaur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.12NPR 2,743
$51.9MX$903
-65.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.67MX$325
-
Cinema Ticket
$2.75NPR 417
$4.97MX$86.5
-44.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gaur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$73.5NPR 11.1K
$198MX$3,442
-62.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,786NPR 421.8K
$5,273MX$91.7K
-47.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gaur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.74NPR 3,745
$36.34MX$632
-31.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.21NPR 4,120
$40.05MX$697
-32.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$44.95NPR 6,805
$79.9MX$1,390
-43.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.45NPR 4,306
$88.9MX$1,547
-67.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gaur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$103NPR 15.6K
$963MX$16.8K
-89.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$63.8NPR 9,654
$465MX$8,086
-86.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$203NPR 30.8K
$1,596MX$27.8K
-87.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$142NPR 21.5K
$1,209MX$21.0K
-88.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gaur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$720MX$12.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12.08
11.42
5.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Gaur: April 25, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $103 in Gaur and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $19.00 in Gaur vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $251 per month, with Gaur cheaper across the board.
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
Gaur vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Gaur and Playa del Carmen?
Gaur and Playa del Carmen differ by about 222% in total monthly costs ($399 vs $1,287 including rent). Gaur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Gaur compared to Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $599 in Gaur and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Gaur and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $103 in Gaur versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Gaur and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $73.5 in Gaur versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Gaur – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $399 in Gaur versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gaur but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gaur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Gaur and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Is Gaur or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Gaur 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.
Where should expats move: Gaur or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Gaur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 222% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.