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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $696 in Ciudad Guayana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,125 in Ciudad Guayana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,555 in Ciudad Guayana.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 86% more expensive than Ciudad Guayana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ciudad Guayana 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.44 VES 5,275

24.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$39.70 VES 22.2K

4.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$14.48 VES 8,095

-26.52%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.58 VES 2,003

-1.68%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.49 VES 833

1.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.01 VES 565

-3.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.02 VES 572

189.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.94 VES 1,085

129.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.86 VES 1,038

-25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.03 VES 576

41.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.99 VES 553

91.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.97 VES 1,660

-29.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$3.09 VES 1,726

-29.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.05 VES 1,144

-49.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.52 VES 850

-28.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.01 VES 2,242

1.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.92 VES 514

85.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.03 VES 1,132

27.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.72 VES 403

-29.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$30.07 VES 16.8K

-12.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$4.52 VES 2,529

-27.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.95 VES 2,207

-36.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.49 VES 273

167.35%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$39.9K VES 22.3M

-24.05%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$70.8K VES 39.6M

-66.91%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$27.34 VES 15.3K

203.11%

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

$22.22 MX$385

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$37.98 VES 21.2K

-22.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$29.94 VES 16.7K

72.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.76 VES 8,253

24.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.27 VES 3,503

-19.14%

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

$201 MX$3,480

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$30.49 VES 17.0K

21.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$35.23 VES 19.7K

12.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$177 VES 98.8K

-55.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$98.6 VES 55.1K

-11.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$150 VES 83.6K

550.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$100 VES 56.1K

366.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$295 VES 165.1K

455.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$202 VES 113.0K

504.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$261 VES 145.6K

1414.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$127 VES 71.2K

4999.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$111 VES 62.2K

496.84%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ciudad Guayana: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $150 in Ciudad Guayana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 497% 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 $40.00 in Ciudad Guayana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $85.0 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 86% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $696 including rent). Ciudad Guayana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 497% 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 $150 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 $40.00 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 14% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $696 in Ciudad Guayana versus $1,297 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 86% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.