Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanajuato and Tulum Cost of Living Comparison Between Guanajuato and Tulum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $795 in Guanajuato versus $1,057 in Tulum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,342 in Guanajuato versus $1,922 in Tulum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,889 in Guanajuato versus $2,787 in Tulum.

Living in Guanajuato costs roughly 25% less than in Tulum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guanajuato 41% lower, Tulum 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.12 MX$140

$10.75 MX$186

-24.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.57 MX$581

$50.8 MX$878

-33.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.25 MX$108

$7.79 MX$135

-19.77%

Cappuccino

$2.06 MX$35.66

$3.83 MX$66.2

-46.21%

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

$1.29 MX$22.27

$1.22 MX$21.18

5.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 MX$15.11

$1.12 MX$19.31

-22.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 MX$47.00

$2.72 MX$47.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 MX$79.0

$3.95 MX$68.3

15.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 MX$23.77

$1.42 MX$24.62

-3.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 MX$40.05

$1.18 MX$20.38

96.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 MX$23.39

$1.55 MX$26.75

-12.90%

Eggs

$1.93 MX$33.36

$1.93 MX$33.41

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 MX$98.4

$5.27 MX$91.2

7.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 MX$130

$6.98 MX$121

7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.08 MX$157

$6.33 MX$109

43.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.28

$2.16 MX$37.43

26.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.30

$1.41 MX$24.40

3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.28

$1.45 MX$25.11

24.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.92

$1.41 MX$24.37

34.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.29

$2.18 MX$37.73

-11.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.18

$1.96 MX$33.93

9.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MX$22.76

$1.08 MX$18.71

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MX$16.01

$0.90 MX$15.65

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 MX$67.9

$4.28 MX$74.1

-8.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 MX$118

$8.57 MX$148

-20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.11

$1.32 MX$22.85

31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MX$58.7

$1.31 MX$22.62

158.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 MX$7.54

$1.16 MX$20.00

-62.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.40 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 MX$13.15

$2.13 MX$36.84

-64.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 MX$18.69

$2.16 MX$37.33

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 MX$154

$5.26 MX$91.0

69.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.46

$1.26 MX$21.84

3.17%

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

$21.3K MX$368.8K

$15.7K MX$270.9K

36.14%

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

$21.8K MX$376.6K

$21.3K MX$367.9K

2.36%

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

$45.65 MX$790

$83.7 MX$1,447

-45.43%

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

$22.06 MX$382

$22.49 MX$389

-1.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.85 MX$361

$28.48 MX$493

-26.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.31 MX$472

$32.57 MX$563

-16.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.63 MX$270

$15.60 MX$270

0.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MX$83.9

$4.56 MX$79.0

6.36%

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

$188 MX$3,246

$206 MX$3,569

-9.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,427 MX$59.3K

$2,852 MX$49.3K

20.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 MX$1,003

$26.76 MX$463

116.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 MX$630

$31.13 MX$539

17.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.4 MX$906

$79.0 MX$1,366

-33.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 MX$996

$45.00 MX$778

28.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 MX$5,259

$722 MX$12.5K

-57.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 MX$3,196

$391 MX$6,770

-52.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 MX$11.8K

$1,483 MX$25.6K

-54.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 MX$7,327

$1,214 MX$21.0K

-65.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,416 MX$24.5K

$3,338 MX$57.7K

-57.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,149 MX$19.9K

$1,893 MX$32.7K

-39.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$759 MX$13.1K

$769 MX$13.3K

-1.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

4.55%

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

Last update for Guanajuato: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tulum: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Guanajuato and $722 in Tulum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tulum pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Guanajuato vs $51.0 in Tulum. Groceries flip the comparison at $227 vs $194, with Tulum 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

Guanajuato vs Tulum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guanajuato wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Tulum. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Guanajuato the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Tulum earns 1% less. 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: $304 in Guanajuato versus $722 in Tulum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tulum pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $795 per month in Guanajuato versus $1,057 in Tulum – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $795 in Guanajuato versus $1,057 in Tulum, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Guanajuato but tight or insufficient in Tulum. The gap between the two cities makes Guanajuato 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, Guanajuato and Tulum 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 Guanajuato gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Tulum. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.