Cost of Living Comparison Between Guararema and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Guararema and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $694 in Guararema versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,174 in Guararema versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,653 in Guararema versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Guararema costs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guararema 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 R$22.95

$11.95 MX$208

-62.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.79 R$166

$41.94 MX$730

-21.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 R$26.83

$10.42 MX$181

-49.14%

Cappuccino

$0.94 R$4.76

$3.51 MX$61.2

-73.22%

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

$0.92 R$4.63

$1.52 MX$26.39

-39.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.76

$0.91 MX$15.84

-18.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.92

$3.04 MX$52.9

-42.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.81

$4.37 MX$76.1

-37.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.83

$1.42 MX$24.73

-32.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 R$6.48

$1.83 MX$31.87

-30.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.59

$1.63 MX$28.45

-32.52%

Eggs

$2.27 R$11.51

$2.54 MX$44.20

-10.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 R$46.82

$8.57 MX$149

8.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 R$20.51

$8.49 MX$148

-52.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 R$43.24

$10.80 MX$188

-20.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 R$9.83

$2.75 MX$47.94

-29.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.07

$1.44 MX$25.00

10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.08

$1.89 MX$32.83

-25.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.34

$2.17 MX$37.77

-33.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.38

$1.78 MX$30.97

-17.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.68

$2.22 MX$38.71

-40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 R$1.90

$1.07 MX$18.60

-64.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.43

$1.08 MX$18.79

-37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 R$9.23

$4.15 MX$72.2

-56.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 R$29.08

$10.45 MX$182

-44.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R$6.69

$1.74 MX$30.34

-24.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 R$10.14

$2.58 MX$44.92

-22.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.39

$0.51 MX$8.94

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.67 R$196

$25.94 MX$451

49.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 R$4.33

$3.21 MX$55.9

-73.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 R$2.51

$2.50 MX$43.55

-80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 R$26.54

$3.19 MX$55.4

64.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.21

$1.26 MX$21.87

-18.25%

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

$14.5K R$73.2K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

-51.23%

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

$21.8K R$110.1K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

-8.08%

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

$27.16 R$137

$82.0 MX$1,427

-66.89%

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

$16.03 R$81.1

$22.73 MX$395

-29.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.90 R$55.2

$29.42 MX$512

-62.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.21 R$112

$52.2 MX$908

-57.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.91 R$111

$18.45 MX$321

18.75%

Cinema Ticket

$3.55 R$17.97

$4.93 MX$85.9

-27.99%

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

$331 R$1,674

$202 MX$3,511

63.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,949 R$45.3K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

71.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 R$269

$35.93 MX$625

48.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.29 R$118

$40.33 MX$702

-42.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 R$364

$79.9 MX$1,390

-9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.0 R$268

$89.3 MX$1,554

-40.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 R$1,610

$948 MX$16.5K

-66.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 R$1,075

$465 MX$8,097

-54.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 R$2,913

$1,630 MX$28.4K

-64.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 R$2,142

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-64.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,612 R$8,154

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-59.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,183 R$5,983

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-81.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$289 R$1,463

$658 MX$11.5K

-56.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-47.46%

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

Last update for Guararema: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $318 in Guararema and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 128% 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 Guararema vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $252 per month, with Guararema 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

Guararema vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guararema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 128% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $318 in Guararema versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $694 per month in Guararema versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Guararema runs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $694 in Guararema versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Guararema but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Guararema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Guararema is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Guararema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.