Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Antigua Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Antigua Guatemala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,111 in Antigua Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,955 in Antigua Guatemala.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 2% more expensive than Antigua Guatemala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Antigua Guatemala 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.12 Q 39.04

129.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$53.2 Q 405

-21.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.49 Q 49.49

63.94%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.40 Q 25.90

3.53%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.22 Q 9.31

23.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.92 Q 6.98

5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.87 Q 29.46

-23.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.60 Q 35.08

-3.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.94 Q 14.79

-28.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.08 Q 23.47

-38.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.64 Q 12.52

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.55 Q 19.45

-1.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.65 Q 58.3

9.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.47 Q 64.6

-1.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.28 Q 78.3

4.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.65 Q 27.85

-28.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.56 Q 11.91

-6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.08 Q 23.47

-38.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.65 Q 12.59

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.76 Q 13.39

1.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.73 Q 13.15

26.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.74 Q 5.65

40.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.23 Q 9.34

-12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.61 Q 27.50

13.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.98 Q 60.8

29.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.69 Q 12.87

1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.42 Q 18.48

6.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.97 Q 15.03

-74.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$4.67 Q 35.60

-30.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$15.37 Q 117

-78.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.12 Q 8.52

16.96%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.6K Q 149.4K

54.45%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$22.1K Q 168.2K

6.13%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$48.43 Q 369

71.11%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$26.09 Q 199

-14.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$48.90 Q 373

-40.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$40.38 Q 308

27.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$27.77 Q 212

-34.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.31 Q 55.7

-30.64%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$246 Q 1,878

-18.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,834 Q 44.5K

-10.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$46.64 Q 355

-20.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$53.6 Q 409

-25.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$101 Q 771

-22.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$83.8 Q 639

3.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$879 Q 6,701

10.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$556 Q 4,237

-15.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,010 Q 15.3K

-18.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,247 Q 9,503

-2.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,985 Q 22.8K

32.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,222 Q 9,312

431.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$539 Q 4,104

23.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.5

34.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $879 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 23% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $267 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Antigua Guatemala differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $1,267 including rent). Antigua Guatemala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 23% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $879 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $246 in Antigua Guatemala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antigua Guatemala – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Antigua Guatemala but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Antigua Guatemala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Antigua Guatemala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Antigua Guatemala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.