😐A single person spends $1,261 per month in Guadalupe vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,937 per month in Guadalupe vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,613 per month in Guadalupe vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐Guadalupe and Playa del Carmen have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.
📊Both Guadalupe and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Guadalupe5% lower, Playa del Carmen5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guadalupe
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.71MX$168
$11.72MX$203
-17.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.41MX$682
$41.89MX$725
-5.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.60MX$166
$10.51MX$182
-8.66%
Cappuccino
$3.55MX$61.5
$3.59MX$62.0
-1.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99MX$17.11
$1.51MX$26.10
-34.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.21
$0.92MX$15.83
-10.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.13MX$36.90
$2.96MX$51.2
-28.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33MX$74.9
$4.41MX$76.3
-1.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guadalupe
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.66MX$28.80
$1.40MX$24.16
18.57%
White Bread(500g)
$2.60MX$45.04
$1.88MX$32.60
38.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.95MX$33.72
$1.56MX$26.97
25.00%
Eggs
$2.71MX$46.97
$2.61MX$45.14
3.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.32MX$178
$8.32MX$144
24.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.73MX$151
$8.35MX$145
4.55%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53MX$234
$10.86MX$188
24.59%
Apples(1kg)
$3.15MX$54.5
$2.71MX$46.93
16.24%
Banana(1kg)
$1.39MX$24.13
$1.51MX$26.04
-7.95%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.04MX$35.28
$1.87MX$32.41
9.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.06MX$35.73
$2.19MX$37.89
-5.94%
Potato(1kg)
$2.35MX$40.66
$1.86MX$32.14
26.34%
Onion(1kg)
$2.57MX$44.48
$2.23MX$38.59
15.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55MX$26.82
$1.07MX$18.48
44.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.41
$1.09MX$18.79
2.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35MX$75.2
$4.19MX$72.4
3.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.92MX$189
$10.43MX$180
4.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70MX$29.37
$1.66MX$28.68
2.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19MX$55.3
$2.61MX$45.19
22.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Guadalupe
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.62MX$10.71
$0.54MX$9.37
14.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.16MX$453
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.57MX$27.18
$3.08MX$53.3
-49.03%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.01MX$17.45
$2.40MX$41.61
-57.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.39MX$180
$3.13MX$54.1
231.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28MX$22.08
$1.31MX$22.69
-2.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7KMX$462.8K
$29.8KMX$515.7K
-10.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$452.3K
$23.3KMX$403.5K
12.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guadalupe
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125MX$2,157
$81.3MX$1,406
53.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.52MX$476
$22.56MX$390
21.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.42MX$509
$30.05MX$520
-2.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guadalupe
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.88MX$621
$52.9MX$915
-32.19%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.18MX$280
$18.39MX$318
-12.02%
Cinema Ticket
$4.63MX$80.2
$4.92MX$85.1
-5.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guadalupe
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$338MX$5,848
$201MX$3,474
68.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,867MX$153.4K
$5,175MX$89.5K
71.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guadalupe
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.8MX$1,035
$35.92MX$622
66.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.98MX$726
$40.13MX$694
4.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$109MX$1,894
$79.7MX$1,379
37.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127MX$2,195
$86.5MX$1,496
46.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guadalupe
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$516MX$8,920
$978MX$16.9K
-47.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$394MX$6,825
$470MX$8,140
-16.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$939MX$16.2K
$1,651MX$28.6K
-43.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$755MX$13.1K
$1,203MX$20.8K
-37.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,019MX$34.9K
$3,953MX$68.4K
-48.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,214MX$21.0K
$6,607MX$114.3K
-81.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guadalupe
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$677MX$11.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.55
11.42
1.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Guadalupe: July 28, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $516 in Guadalupe versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Guadalupe versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Guadalupe vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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
Guadalupe vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Guadalupe and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Guadalupe or in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Guadalupe and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $338 per month in Guadalupe and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Guadalupe or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Guadalupe at $1,261. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guadalupe it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Guadalupe or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guadalupe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.