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: $1,134 in Guanajuato versus $1,297 in Tulum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,738 in Guanajuato versus $2,231 in Tulum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,341 in Guanajuato versus $3,165 in Tulum.

Living in Guanajuato costs roughly 13% less than in Tulum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guanajuato 17% lower, Tulum 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.33 MX$246

$8.78 MX$151

63.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.94 MX$857

$59.1 MX$1,014

-15.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 MX$133

$8.60 MX$148

-9.65%

Cappuccino

$4.11 MX$70.6

$4.26 MX$73.1

-3.52%

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

$1.76 MX$30.26

$1.15 MX$19.66

53.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.39

$1.22 MX$20.97

-12.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 MX$49.61

$2.94 MX$50.4

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 MX$91.6

$3.83 MX$65.7

39.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MX$28.55

$1.72 MX$29.45

-3.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 MX$47.83

$2.10 MX$35.97

32.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 MX$27.10

$1.89 MX$32.52

-16.40%

Eggs

$2.58 MX$44.34

$1.99 MX$34.11

29.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.97 MX$85.3

$5.76 MX$98.9

-13.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.33 MX$177

$8.13 MX$140

27.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.56 MX$216

$9.34 MX$160

34.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MX$49.50

$2.69 MX$46.15

7.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$29.98

$1.55 MX$26.52

12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.15

$1.57 MX$26.88

34.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 MX$29.63

$1.58 MX$27.15

9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.47 MX$42.36

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.13

$1.94 MX$33.31

-0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 MX$26.34

$1.59 MX$27.23

-3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.87 MX$15.00

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 MX$83.9

$4.68 MX$80.4

4.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.52 MX$198

$8.49 MX$146

35.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MX$32.92

$1.41 MX$24.12

36.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MX$60.1

$1.41 MX$24.23

148.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$10.60

$1.48 MX$25.49

-58.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.47 MX$506

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 MX$40.30

$2.99 MX$51.3

-21.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 MX$24.53

$2.57 MX$44.13

-44.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 MX$156

$5.68 MX$97.5

59.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$25.96

$1.48 MX$25.48

2.03%

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

$21.3K MX$365.3K

$22.5K MX$385.8K

-5.33%

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

$25.3K MX$434.8K

$25.9K MX$444.7K

-2.24%

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

$53.1 MX$911

$112 MX$1,914

-52.41%

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

$21.23 MX$364

$17.38 MX$298

22.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.10 MX$517

$36.73 MX$630

-18.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.64 MX$560

$35.93 MX$617

-9.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.39 MX$504

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 MX$118

$6.83 MX$117

0.44%

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

$217 MX$3,729

$268 MX$4,592

-18.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,028 MX$103.5K

$3,142 MX$53.9K

91.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 MX$1,062

$44.00 MX$755

40.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.68 MX$664

$34.66 MX$595

11.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 MX$1,388

$101 MX$1,736

-20.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.4 MX$1,036

$61.6 MX$1,057

-1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 MX$9,393

$651 MX$11.2K

-15.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 MX$5,522

$566 MX$9,709

-43.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 MX$14.2K

$1,609 MX$27.6K

-48.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 MX$7,055

$1,352 MX$23.2K

-69.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,413 MX$24.2K

$3,409 MX$58.5K

-58.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,148 MX$19.7K

$1,872 MX$32.1K

-38.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 MX$12.9K

$852 MX$14.6K

-11.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.8

4.63%

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

Last update for Guanajuato: September 12, 2026

Last update for Tulum: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Guanajuato and $651 in Tulum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tulum pays 13% 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: $50.0 in Guanajuato vs $59.0 in Tulum. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $231, 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 14% 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, salaries run 13% lower in Tulum. 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: $547 in Guanajuato versus $651 in Tulum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tulum pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,134 per month in Guanajuato versus $1,297 in Tulum – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,134 in Guanajuato versus $1,297 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 14% less than in Tulum. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.