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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,523 in Guadalupe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,240 in Guadalupe, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,957 in Guadalupe, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 16% cheaper than Guadalupe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Guadalupe is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$5.12 ₡2,330

133.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$29.26 ₡13.3K

46.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$9.75 ₡4,442

8.62%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.53 ₡1,154

43.08%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$2.07 ₡942

-28.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$1.59 ₡724

-40.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$3.02 ₡1,377

2.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$4.58 ₡2,088

-2.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.98 ₡903

-27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$2.89 ₡1,319

-34.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.87 ₡850

-12.83%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.00 ₡1,369

-12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$9.83 ₡4,480

-16.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$9.01 ₡4,102

-7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$13.87 ₡6,320

-19.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$4.46 ₡2,030

-40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.44 ₡655

4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$4.20 ₡1,911

-52.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$3.52 ₡1,606

-40.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$3.51 ₡1,598

-49.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$3.22 ₡1,466

-32.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.95 ₡433

13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$2.91 ₡1,326

-64.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$5.37 ₡2,448

-26.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$21.88 ₡9,968

-53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$2.53 ₡1,153

-31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.81 ₡1,278

-11.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.96 ₡435

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.80 ₡819

74.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.79 ₡814

34.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$7.97 ₡3,630

-61.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.44 ₡657

-11.81%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$38.1K ₡17.4M

-19.04%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$32.8K ₡14.9M

-28.81%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$93.8 ₡42.7K

-12.60%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$26.06 ₡11.9K

-13.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$58.7 ₡26.7K

-49.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$56.4 ₡25.7K

-8.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$24.11 ₡11.0K

-22.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$10.04 ₡4,572

-50.50%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$557 ₡253.8K

-64.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$12.5K ₡5.7M

-57.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$62.9 ₡28.7K

-42.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$50.7 ₡23.1K

-20.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$125 ₡57.0K

-36.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$108 ₡49.1K

-17.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$751 ₡342.0K

28.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$606 ₡276.0K

-23.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$1,492 ₡679.8K

6.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$956 ₡435.4K

26.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$399 ₡181.6K

1517.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$1,207 ₡550.0K

-40.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.17

12.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Guadalupe: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $751 in Guadalupe. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 68% higher in Guadalupe, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Guadalupe. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $367 in Guadalupe – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Guadalupe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,523 in Guadalupe – roughly 18% apart. Guadalupe costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,284 in Guadalupe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $29.00 in Guadalupe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Guadalupe, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Guadalupe at $1,523. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guadalupe it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,523 in Guadalupe. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guadalupe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.