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 $571 per month in Guelmim vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $934 per month in Guelmim vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,298 per month in Guelmim vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Guelmim is about 55% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Guelmim and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Guelmim 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 MAD 51.5

$11.60 MX$200

-53.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.09 MAD 238

$47.11 MX$812

-46.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 MAD 69.1

$11.88 MX$205

-38.72%

Cappuccino

$2.08 MAD 19.72

$3.98 MX$68.6

-47.74%

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

$0.89 MAD 8.41

$1.43 MX$24.60

-37.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MAD 3.32

$0.82 MX$14.22

-57.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 MAD 50.3

$3.19 MX$55.0

66.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 MAD 43.13

$6.79 MX$117

-32.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 MAD 8.49

$1.68 MX$28.89

-46.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 MAD 4.35

$2.20 MX$37.88

-79.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 MAD 9.93

$1.71 MX$29.45

-38.60%

Eggs

$1.66 MAD 15.75

$2.74 MX$47.26

-39.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 MAD 79.9

$9.58 MX$165

-12.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 MAD 31.63

$9.01 MX$155

-62.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.03 MAD 85.6

$12.81 MX$221

-29.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 MAD 11.99

$2.89 MX$49.81

-56.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 MAD 11.41

$1.50 MX$25.81

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.31

$2.15 MX$37.03

-59.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 MAD 6.18

$2.26 MX$38.96

-71.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 MAD 5.79

$1.98 MX$34.15

-69.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MAD 5.71

$1.99 MX$34.30

-69.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MAD 5.63

$1.23 MX$21.28

-52.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MAD 5.29

$1.20 MX$20.63

-53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MAD 40.69

$4.55 MX$78.5

-5.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.83 MAD 112

$10.37 MX$179

14.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MAD 12.16

$1.62 MX$27.91

-20.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 MAD 12.88

$2.88 MX$49.67

-52.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MAD 7.11

$0.60 MX$10.35

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.97 MAD 180

$28.80 MX$497

-34.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 MAD 6.10

$5.39 MX$92.9

-88.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MAD 5.79

$3.73 MX$64.3

-83.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 MAD 58.4

$5.77 MX$99.5

6.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MAD 13.35

$1.54 MX$26.48

-8.44%

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

$34.7K MAD 329.3K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

54.01%

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

$30.0K MAD 284.7K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

15.22%

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

$24.09 MAD 228

$91.4 MX$1,576

-73.64%

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

$10.64 MAD 101

$25.20 MX$435

-57.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.14 MAD 201

$31.24 MX$539

-32.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.08 MAD 247

$67.2 MX$1,159

-61.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.55 MAD 204

$29.11 MX$502

-25.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 MAD 51.1

$4.86 MX$83.8

10.91%

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

$69.9 MAD 663

$224 MX$3,856

-68.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,925 MAD 18.3K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-54.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.66 MAD 177

$47.10 MX$812

-60.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.60 MAD 148

$44.29 MX$764

-64.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.5 MAD 564

$80.1 MX$1,381

-25.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.75 MAD 301

$92.7 MX$1,598

-65.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 MAD 1,826

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-81.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 MAD 1,087

$390 MX$6,728

-70.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 MAD 3,138

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-84.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 MAD 2,143

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-82.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,236 MAD 11.7K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-69.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$853 MAD 8,089

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-86.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 MAD 3,036

$758 MX$13.1K

-57.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

11.45

-43.23%

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

Last update for Guelmim: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $193 in Guelmim versus $1,063 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 137% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $159 vs $276 – 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 122%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $856 per month in Guelmim and $1,899 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 $571 in Guelmim and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% 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 $571, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.