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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,065 in Guayaquil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,699 in Guayaquil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,332 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 18% more than Guayaquil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Guayaquil are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Guayaquil 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.59 $3.59

233.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$731

$48.44 $48.44

-13.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$188

$7.81 $7.81

37.64%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.1

$2.50 $2.50

40.00%

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

$1.45 MX$25.33

$0.90 $0.90

61.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.47

$0.62 $0.62

41.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

$2.97 $2.97

-0.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.9

$4.45 $4.45

1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.04

$1.13 $1.13

26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.13

$1.71 $1.71

7.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.42

$1.77 $1.77

-11.30%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.92

$2.54 $2.54

-1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$6.11 $6.11

35.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.28 $5.28

59.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.17 $6.17

73.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.62

$2.04 $2.04

27.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.15

$1.52 $1.52

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.31

$1.04 $1.04

88.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.62

$1.22 $1.22

71.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.37

$1.89 $1.89

-2.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.90

$1.39 $1.39

56.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.04

$0.67 $0.67

53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.78

$0.98 $0.98

9.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.7

$5.92 $5.92

-30.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$11.82 $11.82

-13.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.29

$1.57 $1.57

7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.17

$2.12 $2.12

19.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.33 $0.33

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

$21.12 $21.12

23.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$2.70 $2.70

19.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.06

$2.70 $2.70

-10.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$10.07 $10.07

-67.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.10

$0.65 $0.65

103.08%

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

$29.7K MX$519.2K

$25.4K $25.4K

16.98%

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

$23.7K MX$413.7K

$29.3K $29.3K

-19.30%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$107 $107

-23.27%

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

$22.95 MX$401

$13.58 $13.58

69.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$527

$31.85 $31.85

-5.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

$35.61 $35.61

45.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

$46.65 $46.65

-60.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.0

$7.70 $7.70

-35.32%

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

$197 MX$3,452

$311 $311

-36.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.3K

$5,954 $5,954

-10.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$622

$51.2 $51.2

-30.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$42.94 $42.94

-6.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,377

$101 $101

-22.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$112 $112

-20.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$337 $337

181.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,288

$359 $359

32.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.7K

$524 $524

213.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$687 $687

76.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

$2,266 $2,266

78.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

$1,441 $1,441

348.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$592 $592

10.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.35

22.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Guayaquil: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $337 in Guayaquil. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Guayaquil. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $197 in Guayaquil – so Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,598 in Guayaquil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guayaquil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $311 in Guayaquil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guayaquil, where all-in costs run around $1,065, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Guayaquil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guayaquil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Guayaquil. 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.