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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,193 in Gurabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,866 in Gurabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,539 in Gurabo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Gurabo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gurabo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Gurabo 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$10.17 $10.17

17.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$63.8 $63.8

-25.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$9.02 $9.02

30.27%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$3.01 $3.01

36.88%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$1.47 $1.47

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$0.99 $0.99

-8.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$3.06 $3.06

4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.53 $3.53

100.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$2.31 $2.31

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$3.08 $3.08

-30.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$2.35 $2.35

-24.68%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$5.10 $5.10

-44.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.54 $12.54

-26.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$9.75 $9.75

-5.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$13.47 $13.47

-6.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.93 $4.93

-40.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$2.24 $2.24

-29.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$4.97 $4.97

-55.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$4.93 $4.93

-52.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$3.74 $3.74

-46.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$3.85 $3.85

-48.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$3.55 $3.55

-65.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$1.60 $1.60

-24.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$11.88 $11.88

-61.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$9.70 $9.70

8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$1.75 $1.75

-3.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$2.47 $2.47

12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$2.47 $2.47

112.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$1.52 $1.52

140.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$42.78 $42.78

-86.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$1.00 $1.00

54.00%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$39.7K $39.7K

-42.50%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$27.7K $27.7K

-6.90%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$326 $326

-72.20%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$69.0 $69.0

-63.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$69.3 $69.3

-54.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$10.06 $10.06

583.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$10.39 $10.39

-53.22%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$822 $822

-72.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$12.4K $12.4K

-66.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$55.6 $55.6

-14.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$60.4 $60.4

-28.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$107 $107

-25.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$113 $113

-19.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.55

74.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Gurabo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $64.0 in Gurabo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $378 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Gurabo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Gurabo, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,789 in Gurabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $64.0 in Gurabo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 36% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gurabo, where all-in costs run around $1,193, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Gurabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gurabo costs $1,193 versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Gurabo. 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.