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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $713 in Guararema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,161 in Guararema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,609 in Guararema.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 77% more expensive than Guararema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Guararema 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$4.60 R$22.85

153.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$32.72 R$163

28.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$5.38 R$26.75

93.31%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$0.94 R$4.67

284.04%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.93 R$4.61

58.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.75 R$3.72

21.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.83 R$9.11

65.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.75 R$13.69

62.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.95 R$4.74

45.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.28 R$6.37

43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.11 R$5.50

45.05%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.29 R$11.40

12.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$9.19 R$45.70

-7.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.21 R$20.90

101.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$8.27 R$41.08

32.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.93 R$9.62

41.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.60 R$7.94

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.45 R$7.21

35.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.48 R$7.33

43.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.46 R$7.27

27.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.39 R$6.93

56.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.38 R$1.87

181.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.67 R$3.34

56.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$1.82 R$9.03

130.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$6.08 R$30.21

69.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.30 R$6.47

28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.97 R$9.81

26.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.87 R$4.34

-37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$38.58 R$192

-31.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.93 R$4.61

233.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.53 R$2.61

364.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$5.43 R$27.00

-40.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.08 R$5.34

16.67%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$14.1K R$70.2K

113.42%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$21.3K R$105.9K

10.01%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$26.53 R$132

216.58%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$16.08 R$79.9

38.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$10.70 R$53.2

177.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$22.47 R$112

134.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$21.26 R$106

-13.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$3.64 R$18.08

35.99%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$331 R$1,644

-40.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$8,926 R$44.4K

-40.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$54.0 R$268

-33.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$23.01 R$114

74.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$71.7 R$356

9.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$53.5 R$266

61.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$314 R$1,559

211.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$215 R$1,067

119.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$573 R$2,848

178.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$426 R$2,117

185.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,702 R$8,457

136.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,214 R$6,032

442.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$306 R$1,519

133.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Guararema: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $314 in Guararema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 134% 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 in Playa del Carmen vs $33 in Guararema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $181 per month, with Guararema 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 Guararema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guararema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 134% 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: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $314 in Guararema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $713 in Guararema – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Guararema runs roughly 47% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $713 in Guararema versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Guararema but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Guararema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Guararema is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Guararema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.