Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ciudad Guayana Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ciudad Guayana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $684 in Ciudad Guayana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,140 in Ciudad Guayana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,597 in Ciudad Guayana.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 84% more expensive than in Ciudad Guayana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ciudad Guayana 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$9.59 VES 7,052

25.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$39.43 VES 29.0K

5.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$14.54 VES 10.7K

-26.07%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.52 VES 2,589

-0.57%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.47 VES 1,083

-1.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.98 VES 721

-10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.01 VES 745

192.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.05 VES 1,508

120.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.88 VES 1,379

-23.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.97 VES 715

48.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.02 VES 751

92.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.97 VES 2,186

-29.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.98 VES 2,192

-27.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.05 VES 1,506

-49.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.52 VES 1,121

-29.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.07 VES 2,989

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.88 VES 649

90.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.95 VES 1,434

29.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.78 VES 570

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$30.02 VES 22.1K

-13.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$4.42 VES 3,249

-26.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.97 VES 2,915

-39.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.48 VES 349

175.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$39.7K VES 29.2M

-25.26%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$71.3K VES 52.4M

-66.80%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$27.02 VES 19.9K

203.52%

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$37.07 VES 27.2K

-18.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$30.39 VES 22.3K

71.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$14.73 VES 10.8K

25.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.12 VES 4,500

-18.63%

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

$197 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$29.92 VES 22.0K

18.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$35.67 VES 26.2K

13.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$178 VES 130.7K

-55.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$99.1 VES 72.9K

-10.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$152 VES 111.6K

523.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$98.2 VES 72.2K

382.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$294 VES 216.2K

458.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$200 VES 147.0K

505.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$260 VES 190.9K

1461.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$130 VES 95.9K

4860.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$109 VES 79.8K

502.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-54.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ciudad Guayana: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $152 in Ciudad Guayana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 502% 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 $39.00 in Ciudad Guayana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $84.0 per month, with Ciudad Guayana 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 Ciudad Guayana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Ciudad Guayana differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $684 including rent). Ciudad Guayana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 502% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $152 in Ciudad Guayana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ciudad Guayana – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Ciudad Guayana runs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $684 in Ciudad Guayana versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ciudad Guayana but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ciudad Guayana 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.

Expats usually find Ciudad Guayana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.