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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,651 in Guelph.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,658 in Guelph.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,666 in Guelph.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 52% less than in Guelph, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Guelph is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$20.52 CA$28.11

-43.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$72.9 CA$99.9

-41.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$11.81 CA$16.17

-10.25%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.65 CA$5.00

-1.64%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$1.86 CA$2.55

-22.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$1.79 CA$2.46

-49.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$5.09 CA$6.97

-40.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$5.73 CA$7.85

-20.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$2.08 CA$2.85

-30.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$2.59 CA$3.54

-29.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$3.25 CA$4.46

-50.46%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$3.17 CA$4.34

-19.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$8.73 CA$11.95

-2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$8.60 CA$11.79

-1.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$25.69 CA$35.20

-57.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$4.13 CA$5.66

-33.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$0.92 CA$1.25

61.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$3.28 CA$4.50

-40.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$2.19 CA$3.00

-1.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$2.97 CA$4.06

-37.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$2.63 CA$3.60

-16.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$2.43 CA$3.33

-55.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$1.44 CA$1.98

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$11.19 CA$15.33

-63.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$11.19 CA$15.32

-6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$2.66 CA$3.64

-37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$2.77 CA$3.80

-7.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$2.36 CA$3.24

-76.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

$61.9 CA$84.8

-57.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$2.35 CA$3.22

33.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$1.68 CA$2.30

41.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$33.47 CA$45.85

-90.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$1.13 CA$1.55

15.93%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$25.0K CA$34.3K

21.99%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$21.5K CA$29.4K

10.87%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$131 CA$180

-36.59%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$54.3 CA$74.3

-59.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$62.2 CA$85.2

-52.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$54.3 CA$74.4

-5.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

$18.60 CA$25.49

0.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$11.03 CA$15.11

-55.67%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$933 CA$1,278

-78.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$11.0K CA$15.1K

-52.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$62.0 CA$85.0

-42.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$39.19 CA$53.7

0.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$85.4 CA$117

-6.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$125 CA$171

-29.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$1,473 CA$2,018

-34.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$1,467 CA$2,009

-67.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$2,115 CA$2,898

-22.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$2,000 CA$2,739

-40.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$4,855 CA$6,651

-18.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$5,029 CA$6,890

29.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$3,330 CA$4,562

-78.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.55

74.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Guelph: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,473 in Guelph. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guelph pays 358% 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 in Playa del Carmen vs $73 in Guelph for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $351 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 Guelph: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Guelph earns 358% less. 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,473 in Guelph. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Guelph. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $73.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,651 in Guelph, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Guelph. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Guelph, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.