Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Guatemala City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Guatemala City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,361 in Guatemala City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,031 in Guatemala City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,702 in Guatemala City.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 7% less than in Guatemala City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Guatemala City 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.87 Q 52.3

68.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$49.44 Q 377

-4.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.90 Q 60.2

50.38%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.37 Q 25.66

18.10%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.16 Q 8.84

23.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.85 Q 6.46

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.20 Q 24.37

-0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.84 Q 36.86

40.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.06 Q 15.74

-18.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.93 Q 22.33

-24.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.08 Q 15.87

-17.79%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.58 Q 19.66

6.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.38 Q 48.63

50.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.59 Q 73.1

-6.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.47 Q 103

-4.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$4.01 Q 30.56

-27.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.67 Q 12.70

-10.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.81 Q 21.44

-23.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.63 Q 12.42

38.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.51 Q 11.51

31.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.08 Q 15.85

-4.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.68 Q 5.22

80.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.15 Q 8.73

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.01 Q 30.55

13.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.03 Q 61.2

29.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.73 Q 13.17

-6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.62 Q 19.97

9.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.30 Q 9.88

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$14.15 Q 108

103.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.11 Q 38.97

5.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$10.67 Q 81.3

-45.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.22 Q 9.31

26.23%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$27.6K Q 210.2K

-18.25%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$25.0K Q 190.2K

4.40%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$76.1 Q 580

20.16%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$29.03 Q 221

-13.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$45.87 Q 350

-31.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$39.45 Q 301

70.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$13.06 Q 99.6

122.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$6.38 Q 48.65

-23.82%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$340 Q 2,591

-34.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$6,730 Q 51.3K

-37.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$46.11 Q 351

2.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$47.80 Q 364

-7.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$109 Q 831

-26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$115 Q 875

-19.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$836 Q 6,375

27.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$536 Q 4,082

-27.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,540 Q 11.7K

39.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$819 Q 6,241

55.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,032 Q 15.5K

96.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,109 Q 8,453

486.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$844 Q 6,435

-10.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.62

-1.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Guatemala City: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $836 in Guatemala City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guatemala City pays 11% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $49.00 in Guatemala City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $281 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Guatemala City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Guatemala City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Guatemala City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $836 in Guatemala City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $49.00 in Guatemala City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,361 in Guatemala City – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,361 in Guatemala City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Guatemala City. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,266 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Guatemala City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.