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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,111 in Guayama versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,444 in Guayama versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,777 in Guayama versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Guayama is roughly 64% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Guayama is 58% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.98 $18.98

$11.94 MX$209

58.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$42.75 MX$748

87.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 $9.46

$10.59 MX$185

-10.67%

Cappuccino

$3.69 $3.69

$3.62 MX$63.4

1.93%

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

$1.70 $1.70

$1.47 MX$25.69

15.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.94 MX$16.51

46.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.09 MX$54.1

-0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.46 MX$78.0

-1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.43 MX$24.94

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.88 MX$32.97

52.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.63 MX$28.50

34.36%

Eggs

$3.90 $3.90

$2.64 MX$46.26

47.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 $8.97

$8.21 MX$144

9.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.52 $8.52

$8.29 MX$145

2.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$11.10 MX$194

-21.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.65 MX$46.40

-18.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.50 MX$26.26

14.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.99 MX$34.79

11.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.08 MX$36.33

99.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.79 MX$31.29

16.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.18 MX$38.09

40.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.08 MX$18.84

184.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.04 MX$18.15

90.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$3.97 MX$69.5

199.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.78 $15.78

$10.20 MX$179

54.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.73 MX$30.22

44.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.50 MX$43.71

26.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.40 MX$42.04

-61.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 $14.97

$3.09 MX$54.0

384.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.27 MX$22.28

-27.56%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

17.15%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

16.12%

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

$486 $486

$82.0 MX$1,435

492.11%

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

$77.6 $77.6

$22.45 MX$393

245.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$29.66 MX$519

144.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.14 $33.14

$51.9 MX$908

-36.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$12.21 $12.21

$4.97 MX$87.0

145.67%

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

$467 $467

$198 MX$3,462

136.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

95.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 $45.56

$36.34 MX$636

25.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 $56.2

$40.05 MX$701

40.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 $89.2

$79.9 MX$1,398

11.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$88.9 MX$1,555

18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 $429

$963 MX$16.9K

-55.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 $706

$465 MX$8,133

51.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 $1,823

$1,596 MX$27.9K

14.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.42

-50.00%

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

Last update for Guayama: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Guayama and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80.0 in Guayama vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $251 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Guayama and Playa del Carmen differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($2,111 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,167 in Guayama and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $429 in Guayama versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $467 in Guayama versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $80.0 in Guayama. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,111 in Guayama, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Guayama. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Guayama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.