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: $798 in Guanajuato versus $1,049 in Tulum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Guanajuato versus $1,920 in Tulum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,904 in Guanajuato versus $2,790 in Tulum.

Living in Guanajuato costs roughly 24% less than in Tulum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guanajuato 40% lower, Tulum 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.23 MX$144

$10.39 MX$182

-20.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.25 MX$583

$50.3 MX$882

-33.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.29 MX$110

$7.83 MX$137

-19.67%

Cappuccino

$2.07 MX$36.27

$3.81 MX$66.9

-45.67%

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

$1.25 MX$21.88

$1.22 MX$21.40

2.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.58

$1.11 MX$19.50

-14.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MX$46.75

$2.84 MX$49.89

-5.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MX$78.7

$3.91 MX$68.6

14.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MX$24.36

$1.44 MX$25.19

-3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 MX$39.91

$1.18 MX$20.75

93.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MX$22.66

$1.51 MX$26.54

-14.57%

Eggs

$1.93 MX$33.79

$1.90 MX$33.40

1.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.60 MX$98.3

$5.17 MX$90.7

8.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.26 MX$127

$6.97 MX$122

4.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.13 MX$160

$6.22 MX$109

46.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$47.35

$2.08 MX$36.53

29.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MX$25.70

$1.39 MX$24.46

5.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.47

$1.40 MX$24.59

24.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 MX$33.00

$1.36 MX$23.93

38.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$34.07

$2.18 MX$38.27

-11.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 MX$39.31

$1.89 MX$33.21

18.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MX$23.23

$1.08 MX$18.90

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.54

$0.98 MX$17.22

-4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 MX$69.4

$4.29 MX$75.3

-7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.97 MX$122

$8.51 MX$149

-18.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$30.03

$1.30 MX$22.89

31.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MX$61.9

$1.30 MX$22.77

171.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 MX$7.57

$1.17 MX$20.52

-63.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.61 MX$467

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 MX$14.20

$2.09 MX$36.70

-61.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 MX$19.61

$2.19 MX$38.48

-48.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 MX$155

$5.33 MX$93.4

65.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$22.14

$1.28 MX$22.40

-1.56%

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

$21.4K MX$376.0K

$15.7K MX$276.1K

36.18%

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

$22.0K MX$386.2K

$21.7K MX$380.1K

1.60%

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

$46.58 MX$817

$84.6 MX$1,485

-44.97%

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

$21.90 MX$384

$22.57 MX$396

-2.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.08 MX$370

$28.99 MX$508

-27.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.06 MX$492

$32.90 MX$577

-14.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 MX$279

$16.11 MX$283

-1.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 MX$82.9

$4.56 MX$80.0

3.73%

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

$182 MX$3,194

$210 MX$3,688

-13.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,471 MX$60.9K

$2,829 MX$49.6K

22.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 MX$1,033

$26.70 MX$468

120.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.61 MX$660

$31.62 MX$555

18.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.5 MX$939

$79.3 MX$1,391

-32.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.1 MX$1,001

$46.00 MX$807

24.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 MX$5,369

$716 MX$12.6K

-57.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 MX$3,222

$401 MX$7,027

-54.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 MX$11.8K

$1,435 MX$25.2K

-53.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 MX$7,545

$1,252 MX$22.0K

-65.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,398 MX$24.5K

$3,217 MX$56.4K

-56.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,139 MX$20.0K

$1,868 MX$32.8K

-39.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$748 MX$13.1K

$815 MX$14.3K

-8.17%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tulum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Guanajuato and $716 in Tulum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tulum pays 9% 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: $33.00 in Guanajuato vs $50.0 in Tulum. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $193, 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 32% 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 9% 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: $306 in Guanajuato versus $716 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 $798 per month in Guanajuato versus $1,049 in Tulum – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $798 in Guanajuato versus $1,049 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 32% less than in Tulum. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.