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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,679 in Guelph versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,848 in Guelph versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,018 in Guelph versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Guelph is roughly 105% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Guelph is 94% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.10 CA$30.65

$11.96 MX$203

84.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$98.5

$47.38 MX$805

49.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 CA$15.94

$11.75 MX$200

-2.21%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.94

$4.12 MX$70.1

-13.59%

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

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.40 MX$23.78

4.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$0.91 MX$15.50

51.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 CA$7.08

$3.21 MX$54.5

58.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.18

$7.07 MX$120

-16.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$1.68 MX$28.49

34.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$3.95

$2.15 MX$36.53

32.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.16

$1.77 MX$30.14

110.17%

Eggs

$2.96 CA$4.11

$2.82 MX$47.83

4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 CA$13.25

$9.20 MX$156

3.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 CA$22.05

$9.23 MX$157

72.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.68 CA$46.71

$12.64 MX$215

166.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.17

$2.95 MX$50.1

26.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.85

$1.58 MX$26.83

-15.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 CA$6.65

$2.22 MX$37.76

116.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.73

$2.36 MX$40.15

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.85

$1.99 MX$33.86

75.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$1.98 MX$33.63

26.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.90 CA$4.03

$1.24 MX$21.07

133.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.21 MX$20.58

5.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 CA$15.36

$4.60 MX$78.2

140.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 CA$15.63

$10.52 MX$179

7.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 CA$4.72

$1.69 MX$28.74

101.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CA$4.35

$2.77 MX$47.13

13.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 CA$3.10

$0.60 MX$10.24

271.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.5 CA$95.0

$29.70 MX$505

130.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$5.24 MX$89.0

-52.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 CA$2.63

$3.65 MX$62.0

-47.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 CA$33.83

$5.78 MX$98.3

321.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.54 MX$26.13

-27.92%

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

$28.5K CA$39.6K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

25.11%

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

$20.9K CA$29.0K

$25.8K MX$438.5K

-18.99%

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

$127 CA$176

$90.7 MX$1,540

40.34%

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

$44.27 CA$61.4

$25.19 MX$428

75.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 CA$78.9

$31.75 MX$539

79.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 CA$80.2

$68.8 MX$1,169

-15.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 CA$19.73

$29.37 MX$499

-51.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.70 CA$14.84

$4.86 MX$82.6

120.16%

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

$834 CA$1,157

$226 MX$3,834

269.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K CA$23.6K

$4,194 MX$71.2K

306.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 CA$89.6

$47.38 MX$805

36.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.48 CA$52.0

$43.45 MX$738

-13.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$80.2 MX$1,363

9.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 CA$173

$91.4 MX$1,552

36.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 CA$2,116

$1,086 MX$18.4K

40.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,914

$409 MX$6,943

237.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 CA$2,903

$1,972 MX$33.5K

6.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,807

$1,281 MX$21.8K

57.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,889 CA$6,780

$4,046 MX$68.7K

20.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,961 CA$6,880

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-26.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,305 CA$4,583

$773 MX$13.1K

327.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

11.45

-56.42%

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

Last update for Guelph: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Guelph and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guelph pays 327% 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: $71.0 in Guelph vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $442 vs $278 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 327% higher in Guelph, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,526 in Guelph versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Guelph. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $71.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,679 in Guelph, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Guelph. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Guelph, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.