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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $571 in Guelmim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $934 in Guelmim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,298 in Guelmim, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 122% more than Guelmim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Guelmim are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Guelmim 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.43 MAD 51.5

113.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$25.09 MAD 238

87.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.28 MAD 69.1

63.19%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.08 MAD 19.72

91.35%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.89 MAD 8.41

60.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.35 MAD 3.32

134.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$5.30 MAD 50.3

-39.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.55 MAD 43.13

49.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.90 MAD 8.49

86.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.46 MAD 4.35

378.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.05 MAD 9.93

62.86%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.66 MAD 15.75

65.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.43 MAD 79.9

13.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.34 MAD 31.63

169.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$9.03 MAD 85.6

41.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.26 MAD 11.99

129.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.20 MAD 11.41

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.88 MAD 8.31

144.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.65 MAD 6.18

247.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.61 MAD 5.79

224.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.60 MAD 5.71

231.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.59 MAD 5.63

108.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.56 MAD 5.29

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.29 MAD 40.69

6.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$11.83 MAD 112

-12.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.28 MAD 12.16

26.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.36 MAD 12.88

111.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.75 MAD 7.11

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$18.97 MAD 180

51.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.64 MAD 6.10

742.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.61 MAD 5.79

511.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$6.15 MAD 58.4

-6.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.41 MAD 13.35

9.22%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$34.7K MAD 329.3K

-35.07%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$30.0K MAD 284.7K

-13.21%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$24.09 MAD 228

279.33%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$10.64 MAD 101

136.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$21.14 MAD 201

47.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$26.08 MAD 247

157.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$21.55 MAD 204

35.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.39 MAD 51.1

-9.83%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$69.9 MAD 663

219.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,925 MAD 18.3K

119.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$18.66 MAD 177

152.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$15.60 MAD 148

183.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$59.5 MAD 564

34.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$31.75 MAD 301

191.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$193 MAD 1,826

451.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$115 MAD 1,087

240.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$331 MAD 3,138

549.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$226 MAD 2,143

463.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,236 MAD 11.7K

223.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$853 MAD 8,089

662.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$320 MAD 3,036

136.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.5

76.15%

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 Guelmim: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $193 in Guelmim. 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 137% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Guelmim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $159 – making Guelmim the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Guelmim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 122%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $856 in Guelmim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $571 in Guelmim. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% less in Guelmim. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guelmim, where all-in costs run around $571, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Guelmim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Guelmim. 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.