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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Gudja versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Gudja versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,499 in Gudja versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gudja is roughly 37% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gudja is 29% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gudja
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.25 €10.73
$11.99 MX$209
2.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$93.8 €82.1
$41.78 MX$728
124.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.54 €10.11
$10.75 MX$187
7.35%
Cappuccino
$2.26 €1.98
$3.50 MX$60.9
-35.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.69
$1.45 MX$25.22
33.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 €0.89
$0.88 MX$15.41
15.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.26 €1.98
$2.95 MX$51.3
-23.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 €2.84
$4.51 MX$78.6
-28.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gudja
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.15
$1.43 MX$24.94
-8.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 €1.09
$1.84 MX$31.99
-32.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.81 €2.46
$1.57 MX$27.31
78.98%
Eggs
$3.62 €3.17
$2.51 MX$43.74
44.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.04 €7.04
$8.28 MX$144
-2.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.31 €8.15
$8.43 MX$147
10.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 €12.23
$10.68 MX$186
30.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 €2.06
$2.61 MX$45.43
-9.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.99 €1.74
$1.44 MX$25.04
38.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 €2.29
$1.96 MX$34.16
33.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.72 €2.38
$2.09 MX$36.47
30.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 €1.56
$1.85 MX$32.24
-3.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.29 €1.13
$2.17 MX$37.74
-40.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 €0.88
$1.03 MX$17.96
-1.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.77
$1.07 MX$18.70
-17.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.90 €5.17
$4.10 MX$71.4
43.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.37 €7.33
$10.17 MX$177
-17.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.57 €1.37
$1.68 MX$29.17
-6.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 €1.50
$2.53 MX$43.98
-32.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Gudja
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.77 €2.43
$0.51 MX$8.87
443.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.04 MX$453
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.81 €5.09
$3.23 MX$56.3
79.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.04 €3.54
$2.41 MX$41.88
67.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$48.89 €42.82
$3.23 MX$56.2
1413.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.38
$1.32 MX$23.00
18.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K €24.6K
$29.7K MX$517.1K
-5.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K €21.9K
$23.7K MX$412.0K
5.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gudja
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.6 €80.2
$82.0 MX$1,428
11.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.30 €15.15
$22.95 MX$400
-24.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.15 €25.53
$30.11 MX$524
-3.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gudja
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.2 €57.1
$52.0 MX$905
25.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.94 €20.09
$18.53 MX$323
23.80%
Cinema Ticket
$10.36 €9.07
$4.98 MX$86.6
108.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gudja
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$419 €367
$197 MX$3,438
112.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K €9,675
$5,336 MX$92.9K
107.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gudja
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.0 €70.9
$35.60 MX$620
127.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.87 €33.16
$40.33 MX$702
-6.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.1 €66.7
$78.8 MX$1,371
-3.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.3 €75.6
$88.9 MX$1,549
-2.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gudja
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$916 €802
$947 MX$16.5K
-3.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$864 €756
$474 MX$8,254
82.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,477 €1,293
$1,644 MX$28.6K
-10.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,339 €1,172
$1,211 MX$21.1K
10.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,913 €1,675
$4,056 MX$70.6K
-52.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,724 €1,510
$6,470 MX$112.7K
-73.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gudja
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,391 €1,218
$654 MX$11.4K
112.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4
11.42
-64.97%

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

Last update for Gudja: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $916 in Gudja and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gudja pays 113% 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: $94.0 in Gudja vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $249 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
Gudja vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Gudja?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Gudja or Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 113% higher in Gudja, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Gudja and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $916 in Gudja versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Gudja and in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Gudja. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Gudja and in Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,718 per month in Gudja versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Gudja or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,718 in Gudja, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Gudja. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Gudja or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Gudja, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Gudja or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Gudja and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Gudja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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