Cost of Living Comparison Between Tulum and Guanajuato Cost of Living Comparison Between Tulum and Guanajuato

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,049 in Tulum versus $798 in Guanajuato.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,920 in Tulum versus $1,351 in Guanajuato.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,790 in Tulum versus $1,904 in Guanajuato.

Living in Tulum is roughly 32% more expensive than in Guanajuato, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tulum 21% lower, Guanajuato 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 MX$182

$8.23 MX$144

26.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 MX$882

$33.25 MX$583

51.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 MX$137

$6.29 MX$110

24.48%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$66.9

$2.07 MX$36.27

84.06%

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

$1.22 MX$21.40

$1.25 MX$21.88

-2.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.50

$0.95 MX$16.58

16.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MX$49.89

$2.67 MX$46.75

6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 MX$68.6

$4.49 MX$78.7

-12.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$25.19

$1.39 MX$24.36

3.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 MX$20.75

$2.28 MX$39.91

-48.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.54

$1.29 MX$22.66

17.05%

Eggs

$1.90 MX$33.40

$1.93 MX$33.79

-1.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.17 MX$90.7

$5.60 MX$98.3

-7.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 MX$122

$7.26 MX$127

-3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 MX$109

$9.13 MX$160

-31.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.53

$2.70 MX$47.35

-22.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.46

$1.47 MX$25.70

-5.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.59

$1.74 MX$30.47

-19.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 MX$23.93

$1.88 MX$33.00

-27.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.27

$1.94 MX$34.07

12.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.21

$2.24 MX$39.31

-15.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.90

$1.32 MX$23.23

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MX$17.22

$0.94 MX$16.54

4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$75.3

$3.96 MX$69.4

8.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 MX$149

$6.97 MX$122

22.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$22.89

$1.71 MX$30.03

-23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$22.77

$3.53 MX$61.9

-63.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 MX$20.52

$0.43 MX$7.57

172.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.61 MX$467

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 MX$36.70

$0.81 MX$14.20

158.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 MX$38.48

$1.12 MX$19.61

95.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MX$93.4

$8.82 MX$155

-39.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.40

$1.26 MX$22.14

1.59%

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

$15.7K MX$276.1K

$21.4K MX$376.0K

-26.57%

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

$21.7K MX$380.1K

$22.0K MX$386.2K

-1.57%

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

$84.6 MX$1,485

$46.58 MX$817

81.71%

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

$22.57 MX$396

$21.90 MX$384

3.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.99 MX$508

$21.08 MX$370

37.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.90 MX$577

$28.06 MX$492

17.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.11 MX$283

$15.89 MX$279

1.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MX$80.0

$4.73 MX$82.9

-3.59%

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

$210 MX$3,688

$182 MX$3,194

15.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,829 MX$49.6K

$3,471 MX$60.9K

-18.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.70 MX$468

$58.9 MX$1,033

-54.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.62 MX$555

$37.61 MX$660

-15.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 MX$1,391

$53.5 MX$939

48.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.00 MX$807

$57.1 MX$1,001

-19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 MX$12.6K

$306 MX$5,369

133.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MX$7,027

$184 MX$3,222

118.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 MX$25.2K

$674 MX$11.8K

112.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 MX$22.0K

$430 MX$7,545

191.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,217 MX$56.4K

$1,398 MX$24.5K

130.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,868 MX$32.8K

$1,139 MX$20.0K

64.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$815 MX$14.3K

$748 MX$13.1K

8.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

-4.35%

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

Last update for Tulum: July 13, 2026

Last update for Guanajuato: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Tulum and $306 in Guanajuato. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tulum pays 9% 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: $50.0 in Tulum vs $33.00 in Guanajuato. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $225, with Tulum cheaper for home cooking.

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

Tulum vs Guanajuato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guanajuato wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Tulum. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Guanajuato the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Tulum, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Tulum versus $306 in Guanajuato. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tulum pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,049 per month in Tulum versus $798 in Guanajuato – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $798 in Guanajuato versus $1,049 in Tulum, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Guanajuato but tight or insufficient in Tulum. The gap between the two cities makes Guanajuato the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tulum and Guanajuato are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Guanajuato gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Tulum. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.