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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $698 in Guararema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,146 in Guararema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,594 in Guararema.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 81% more expensive than in Guararema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Guararema 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.55 R$23.10

157.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$31.97 R$162

31.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.35 R$27.14

96.45%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$0.91 R$4.63

294.51%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.93 R$4.70

62.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.75 R$3.81

22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.78 R$9.01

66.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.66 R$13.49

65.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.01 R$5.12

38.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.25 R$6.32

50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.11 R$5.62

40.54%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.40 R$12.20

8.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.88 R$45.06

-6.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.16 R$21.09

100.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.43 R$42.79

28.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.97 R$9.99

37.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.63 R$8.25

-7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.38 R$7.00

35.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.45 R$7.36

51.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.48 R$7.52

25.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.32 R$6.70

68.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.35 R$1.75

205.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.64 R$3.25

70.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.84 R$9.34

127.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$5.95 R$30.20

75.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.35 R$6.85

22.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.99 R$10.08

31.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.87 R$4.43

-37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$38.36 R$195

-31.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.93 R$4.73

231.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.49 R$2.48

389.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.32 R$26.97

-41.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.04 R$5.26

25.96%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$14.0K R$70.8K

113.62%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.9K R$111.1K

6.54%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$26.92 R$137

201.93%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$16.45 R$83.5

37.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$10.87 R$55.2

176.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$22.26 R$113

137.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$21.92 R$111

-16.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.52 R$17.85

39.77%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$333 R$1,687

-39.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,727 R$44.3K

-40.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$53.2 R$270

-32.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$23.28 R$118

72.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$72.2 R$366

10.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$54.4 R$276

59.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$317 R$1,610

208.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$220 R$1,115

114.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$586 R$2,975

181.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$427 R$2,165

182.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,608 R$8,159

145.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,167 R$5,923

466.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$294 R$1,490

130.49%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Guararema: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $317 in Guararema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 130% 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 $32.00 in Guararema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 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 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 130% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $317 in Guararema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $698 in Guararema – a 81% 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 $698 in Guararema versus $1,260 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 81% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.