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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,101 in Guadelupe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,760 in Guadelupe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,418 in Guadelupe, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Guadelupe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Guadelupe are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Guadelupe 18% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Guadelupe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87 MX$204
$10.57 MX$181
12.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90 MX$736
$38.33 MX$658
11.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$183
$7.85 MX$135
35.67%
Cappuccino
$3.45 MX$59.2
$3.32 MX$57.0
3.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$1.28 MX$21.94
17.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MX$16.28
$0.92 MX$15.80
3.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$51.9
$2.34 MX$40.19
29.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MX$79.1
$3.81 MX$65.5
21.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Guadelupe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.61
$1.47 MX$25.31
-6.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$31.70
$2.64 MX$45.30
-29.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.65
$1.63 MX$28.02
-1.23%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$44.51
$2.32 MX$39.80
11.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$142
$7.90 MX$136
4.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 MX$144
$7.86 MX$135
6.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 MX$183
$10.74 MX$184
-0.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.12
$2.63 MX$45.13
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.53
$1.45 MX$24.81
2.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 MX$32.94
$1.78 MX$30.57
7.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$35.81
$1.59 MX$27.25
31.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$31.88
$1.90 MX$32.63
-2.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.81
$2.00 MX$34.29
13.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 MX$18.23
$1.21 MX$20.69
-12.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.67
$1.03 MX$17.63
5.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$71.2
$4.22 MX$72.5
-1.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MX$178
$11.02 MX$189
-5.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.59
$1.60 MX$27.45
7.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$44.85
$2.83 MX$48.58
-7.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Guadelupe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.30
$0.62 MX$10.59
-12.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.94 MX$462
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$53.7
$2.66 MX$45.73
17.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$43.09
$1.56 MX$26.74
60.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$54.1
$8.24 MX$141
-61.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$21.88
$1.26 MX$21.65
0.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K MX$521.3K
$21.4K MX$366.9K
42.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$404.5K
$22.9K MX$393.2K
2.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Guadelupe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 MX$1,425
$56.3 MX$966
47.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 MX$390
$22.13 MX$380
2.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$506
$28.56 MX$490
3.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Guadelupe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 MX$875
$36.63 MX$629
39.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33 MX$315
$15.98 MX$274
14.71%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$84.5
$4.65 MX$79.9
6.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Guadelupe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,386
$210 MX$3,607
-6.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,280 MX$90.6K
$3,532 MX$60.6K
49.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Guadelupe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90 MX$633
$52.3 MX$898
-29.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89 MX$685
$38.96 MX$669
2.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 MX$1,373
$90.5 MX$1,553
-11.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,536
$78.0 MX$1,340
14.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Guadelupe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MX$16.4K
$509 MX$8,736
87.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 MX$8,189
$404 MX$6,935
18.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MX$28.3K
$921 MX$15.8K
78.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 MX$21.0K
$769 MX$13.2K
59.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,918 MX$67.2K
$1,935 MX$33.2K
102.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,459 MX$110.9K
$1,347 MX$23.1K
379.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Guadelupe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 MX$11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
11.48
-0.52%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Guadelupe: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $509 in Guadelupe. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Guadelupe. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $252 in Guadelupe – 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 Guadelupe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Guadelupe?
Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Guadelupe, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Guadelupe?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,651 in Guadelupe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Guadelupe?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Guadelupe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Guadelupe?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $38.00 in Guadelupe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Guadelupe?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Guadelupe?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Guadelupe, where all-in costs run around $1,101, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Guadelupe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Guadelupe?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Guadelupe costs $1,101 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or Guadelupe?
If budget matters most, go with Guadelupe. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities