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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $715 in Guararema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,176 in Guararema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,636 in Guararema.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 78% more expensive than Guararema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Guararema 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.37 R$22.14

171.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$32.05 R$162

33.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.25 R$26.56

102.86%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.93 R$4.70

270.97%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.86 R$4.34

74.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.75 R$3.79

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.82 R$9.23

66.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.76 R$13.96

67.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.02 R$5.19

35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.24 R$6.28

49.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.11 R$5.62

45.05%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.30 R$11.63

12.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.10 R$46.05

-9.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.16 R$21.05

101.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.34 R$42.23

27.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.92 R$9.73

36.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.62 R$8.22

-8.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.38 R$6.99

39.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.40 R$7.09

49.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.42 R$7.17

30.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.38 R$6.98

63.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.35 R$1.76

202.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.65 R$3.27

67.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.84 R$9.32

125.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.86 R$29.67

77.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.36 R$6.88

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.05 R$10.38

27.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.88 R$4.46

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$39.16 R$198

-31.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.87 R$4.40

259.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.49 R$2.50

412.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.55 R$28.07

-43.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.08 R$5.46

17.59%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$14.4K R$73.0K

110.78%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$21.5K R$109.1K

9.38%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$26.64 R$135

211.56%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$16.23 R$82.2

39.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$10.86 R$55.0

171.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$22.85 R$116

123.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$21.26 R$108

-13.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.61 R$18.30

36.57%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$330 R$1,673

-40.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,648 R$43.8K

-38.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$55.1 R$279

-32.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$23.52 R$119

69.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$72.5 R$367

10.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$54.3 R$275

64.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$316 R$1,598

202.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$214 R$1,084

122.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$574 R$2,907

186.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$430 R$2,174

185.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,563 R$7,912

150.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,133 R$5,736

470.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$284 R$1,437

134.95%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Guararema: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $316 in Guararema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 135% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $32.00 in Guararema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $180 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 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 135% 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $316 in Guararema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $715 in Guararema – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Guararema runs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $715 in Guararema versus $1,271 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 78% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.