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 $610 per month in Guelmim vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $992 per month in Guelmim vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,374 per month in Guelmim vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Guelmim is about 51% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.69 MAD 25.04

$11.99 MX$210

-77.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 MAD 235

$41.78 MX$733

-39.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 MAD 63.2

$10.75 MX$189

-37.02%

Cappuccino

$1.67 MAD 15.59

$3.50 MX$61.3

-52.29%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.83

$1.45 MX$25.41

-56.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MAD 2.63

$0.88 MX$15.52

-68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 MAD 34.00

$2.95 MX$51.7

23.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MAD 34.30

$4.51 MX$79.1

-18.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 MAD 8.07

$1.43 MX$25.12

-39.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.36 MAD 3.37

$1.84 MX$32.23

-80.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.56

$1.57 MX$27.51

-41.40%

Eggs

$1.84 MAD 17.14

$2.51 MX$44.06

-26.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 MAD 66.2

$8.28 MX$145

-14.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 MAD 30.23

$8.43 MX$148

-61.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 MAD 94.2

$10.68 MX$187

-5.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 MAD 12.62

$2.61 MX$45.76

-48.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 MAD 11.42

$1.44 MX$25.22

-15.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.22

$1.96 MX$34.41

-55.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 MAD 5.95

$2.09 MX$36.74

-69.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MAD 6.30

$1.85 MX$32.47

-63.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.44

$2.17 MX$38.02

-68.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 MAD 5.86

$1.03 MX$18.09

-38.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MAD 5.73

$1.07 MX$18.84

-42.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 MAD 37.26

$4.10 MX$72.0

-2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 MAD 64.1

$10.17 MX$178

-32.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MAD 12.63

$1.68 MX$29.38

-19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 MAD 15.21

$2.53 MX$44.31

-35.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 MAD 7.39

$0.51 MX$8.93

54.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.50 MAD 154

$26.04 MX$457

-36.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 MAD 5.97

$3.23 MX$56.7

-80.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 MAD 5.47

$2.41 MX$42.19

-75.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 MAD 63.2

$3.23 MX$56.6

109.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MAD 14.41

$1.32 MX$23.17

17.42%

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

$27.7K MAD 258.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-6.79%

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

$20.3K MAD 189.7K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-14.01%

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

$28.31 MAD 264

$82.0 MX$1,439

-65.48%

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

$10.80 MAD 101

$22.95 MX$403

-52.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.06 MAD 206

$30.11 MX$528

-26.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.54 MAD 229

$52.0 MX$912

-52.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.12 MAD 216

$18.53 MX$325

24.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 MAD 62.4

$4.98 MX$87.3

34.34%

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

$77.8 MAD 726

$197 MX$3,463

-60.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,955 MAD 18.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-63.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.12 MAD 178

$35.60 MX$624

-46.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.63 MAD 155

$40.33 MX$707

-58.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.30 MAD 450

$78.8 MX$1,381

-38.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.65 MAD 304

$88.9 MX$1,560

-63.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 MAD 2,669

$947 MX$16.6K

-69.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 MAD 1,863

$474 MX$8,314

-57.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 MAD 5,584

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-63.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MAD 3,612

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-68.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,210 MAD 11.3K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-70.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$895 MAD 8,350

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-86.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$317 MAD 2,953

$654 MX$11.5K

-51.56%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Guelmim versus $947 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 106% 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: $149 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 106%, 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 $915 per month in Guelmim and $1,884 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 $610 in Guelmim and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 58% 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 $610, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.