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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $617 per month in Guelmim vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $997 per month in Guelmim vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,378 per month in Guelmim vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Guelmim is about 52% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Guelmim and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Guelmim 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 MAD 25.38

$11.73 MX$203

-76.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.29 MAD 233

$41.62 MX$721

-39.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 MAD 61.9

$10.64 MX$184

-36.84%

Cappuccino

$1.75 MAD 16.12

$3.52 MX$61.0

-50.28%

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

$0.66 MAD 6.10

$1.51 MX$26.17

-56.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 MAD 2.36

$0.97 MX$16.87

-73.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 MAD 34.32

$2.95 MX$51.1

26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 MAD 34.26

$4.45 MX$77.2

-16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 MAD 8.42

$1.38 MX$23.97

-34.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 MAD 3.40

$1.89 MX$32.78

-80.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.45

$1.64 MX$28.37

-43.90%

Eggs

$1.79 MAD 16.53

$2.51 MX$43.42

-28.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MAD 65.8

$8.34 MX$145

-14.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 MAD 30.53

$8.34 MX$145

-60.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 MAD 93.2

$10.73 MX$186

-5.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 MAD 12.89

$2.60 MX$45.12

-46.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 MAD 11.44

$1.46 MX$25.25

-15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.52

$1.90 MX$32.94

-56.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 MAD 5.47

$2.08 MX$35.98

-71.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 MAD 5.98

$1.78 MX$30.77

-63.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 MAD 5.83

$2.19 MX$37.87

-71.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MAD 6.27

$1.04 MX$18.02

-34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.90

$1.08 MX$18.66

-40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 MAD 37.65

$4.08 MX$70.7

0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.12 MAD 65.6

$10.32 MX$179

-31.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 MAD 11.97

$1.71 MX$29.67

-23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 MAD 14.44

$2.58 MX$44.63

-39.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MAD 6.84

$0.51 MX$8.83

45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.62 MAD 153

$26.46 MX$459

-37.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MAD 6.32

$3.26 MX$56.5

-78.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MAD 5.76

$2.49 MX$43.17

-74.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 MAD 61.5

$3.25 MX$56.3

105.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MAD 14.46

$1.31 MX$22.65

19.85%

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

$27.3K MAD 251.6K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-9.76%

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

$21.0K MAD 193.3K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-10.38%

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

$28.49 MAD 262

$82.9 MX$1,436

-65.62%

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

$10.86 MAD 100

$22.22 MX$385

-51.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.01 MAD 203

$29.34 MX$508

-24.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.45 MAD 225

$51.6 MX$895

-52.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.38 MAD 215

$18.32 MX$317

27.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 MAD 61.4

$5.07 MX$87.8

31.56%

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

$77.0 MAD 709

$201 MX$3,480

-61.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,929 MAD 17.8K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-62.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.31 MAD 178

$36.92 MX$640

-47.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.56 MAD 152

$39.79 MX$689

-58.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.32 MAD 454

$78.5 MX$1,360

-37.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.53 MAD 309

$87.1 MX$1,509

-61.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 MAD 2,665

$973 MX$16.9K

-70.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MAD 1,799

$468 MX$8,105

-58.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 MAD 5,414

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-64.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 MAD 3,529

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-68.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,589 MAD 14.6K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-59.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$943 MAD 8,683

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-85.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$331 MAD 3,046

$664 MX$11.5K

-50.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.42

-51.84%

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

Last update for Guelmim: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $289 in Guelmim versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 101% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Guelmim versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $150 vs $249 – making Guelmim the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 110%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $925 per month in Guelmim and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guelmim, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $617 in Guelmim and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Guelmim. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guelmim, where all-in costs run around $617, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Guelmim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guelmim – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Guelmim. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.