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: $2,675 in Guelph versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,676 in Guelph versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,677 in Guelph versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Guelph is roughly 113% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Guelph is 100% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.42 CA$28.74

$11.99 MX$209

70.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$104

$41.78 MX$728

76.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.99 CA$16.87

$10.75 MX$187

11.53%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.22

$3.50 MX$60.9

6.00%

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

$1.84 CA$2.60

$1.45 MX$25.22

26.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.45

$0.88 MX$15.41

97.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 CA$7.28

$2.95 MX$51.3

75.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 CA$8.35

$4.51 MX$78.6

31.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$1.43 MX$24.94

46.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$1.84 MX$31.99

47.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.62

$1.57 MX$27.31

109.55%

Eggs

$3.11 CA$4.38

$2.51 MX$43.74

23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 CA$12.80

$8.28 MX$144

9.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 CA$12.38

$8.43 MX$147

4.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$10.68 MX$186

139.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.88

$2.61 MX$45.43

60.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 CA$1.22

$1.44 MX$25.04

-40.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.55

$1.96 MX$34.16

64.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.11

$2.09 MX$36.47

5.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 CA$4.00

$1.85 MX$32.24

53.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.73

$2.17 MX$37.74

22.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$1.03 MX$17.96

131.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.07 MX$18.70

38.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 CA$15.69

$4.10 MX$71.4

171.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 CA$15.23

$10.17 MX$177

6.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$1.68 MX$29.17

63.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$2.53 MX$43.98

7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.39

$0.51 MX$8.87

372.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.4 CA$87.8

$26.04 MX$453

139.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 CA$3.37

$3.23 MX$56.3

-26.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$2.41 MX$41.88

-29.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.54 CA$45.79

$3.23 MX$56.2

907.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.62

$1.32 MX$23.00

-12.88%

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

$25.1K CA$35.4K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-15.39%

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

$21.1K CA$29.8K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-10.64%

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

$135 CA$190

$82.0 MX$1,428

64.27%

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

$54.2 CA$76.3

$22.95 MX$400

136.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 CA$87.8

$30.11 MX$524

107.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 CA$77.4

$52.0 MX$905

5.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.64 CA$26.23

$18.53 MX$323

0.59%

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 CA$15.63

$4.98 MX$86.6

123.09%

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

$953 CA$1,341

$197 MX$3,438

382.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K CA$15.3K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

103.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 CA$87.7

$35.60 MX$620

75.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.02 CA$54.9

$40.33 MX$702

-3.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 CA$122

$78.8 MX$1,371

9.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 CA$175

$88.9 MX$1,549

40.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 CA$2,105

$947 MX$16.5K

57.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 CA$2,104

$474 MX$8,254

215.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 CA$2,933

$1,644 MX$28.6K

26.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 CA$2,744

$1,211 MX$21.1K

61.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,752 CA$6,686

$4,056 MX$70.6K

17.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,907 CA$6,904

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-24.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,178 CA$4,471

$654 MX$11.4K

385.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.42

-42.64%

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

Last update for Guelph: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,496 in Guelph and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guelph pays 386% 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: $74.0 in Guelph vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 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

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 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 386% 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: $1,496 in Guelph versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% 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 $42.00 versus $74.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,675 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 113% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.