Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Franco da Rocha and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Franco da Rocha: $890 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Franco da Rocha, Brazil
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Franco da Rocha
🇧🇷 Brazil
$890
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Franco da Rocha and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Franco da Rocha and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $890 in Franco da Rocha versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Franco da Rocha $890
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Franco da Rocha versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Franco da Rocha $1,429
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,969 in Franco da Rocha versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Franco da Rocha $1,969
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Franco da Rocha costs roughly 26% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Franco da Rocha 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Franco da Rocha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.52 R$34.87
$10.92 MX$204
-40.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.96 R$203
$43.37 MX$808
-12.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.26 R$44.19
$11.78 MX$220
-29.88%
Cappuccino
$2.11 R$11.28
$3.81 MX$71.0
-44.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 R$8.40
$1.28 MX$23.90
22.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13 R$6.05
$0.78 MX$14.59
44.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.57 R$13.77
$3.17 MX$59.0
-18.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.06 R$21.72
$4.93 MX$92.0
-17.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Franco da Rocha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 R$6.28
$1.41 MX$26.22
-17.02%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 R$10.19
$2.22 MX$41.33
-13.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.07 R$5.73
$1.42 MX$26.42
-24.65%
Eggs
$2.47 R$13.21
$2.52 MX$47.03
-1.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.42 R$45.03
$7.26 MX$135
15.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.11 R$21.97
$7.70 MX$143
-46.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.26 R$54.9
$12.69 MX$237
-19.15%
Apples (1kg)
$2.67 R$14.26
$2.78 MX$51.9
-3.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 R$9.30
$1.37 MX$25.50
27.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.65 R$8.81
$2.55 MX$47.55
-35.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.68 R$8.99
$2.12 MX$39.58
-20.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.27 R$6.80
$1.94 MX$36.13
-34.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 R$6.78
$1.89 MX$35.16
-32.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 R$4.53
$1.15 MX$21.37
-26.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 R$3.91
$1.18 MX$21.98
-38.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.63 R$14.06
$4.30 MX$80.1
-38.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.20 R$43.87
$9.95 MX$185
-17.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 R$8.17
$1.58 MX$29.52
-3.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 R$22.98
$2.67 MX$49.79
61.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Franco da Rocha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 R$5.03
$0.55 MX$10.31
70.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.14 R$220
$26.62 MX$496
54.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.25 R$6.71
$4.97 MX$92.6
-74.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.34 R$7.14
$3.33 MX$62.1
-59.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.00 R$48.10
$5.36 MX$99.8
67.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 R$6.30
$1.44 MX$26.92
-18.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K R$120.5K
$20.7K MX$385.2K
9.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K R$167.0K
$23.5K MX$437.4K
33.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Franco da Rocha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.45 R$216
$84.8 MX$1,581
-52.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.60 R$72.7
$23.41 MX$436
-41.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.88 R$90.3
$28.66 MX$534
-41.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Franco da Rocha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.01 R$128
$57.1 MX$1,063
-57.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 R$153
$28.91 MX$539
-0.80%
Cinema Ticket
$7.51 R$40.17
$5.14 MX$95.8
46.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Franco da Rocha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$405 R$2,164
$207 MX$3,851
95.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,204 R$38.5K
$3,927 MX$73.2K
83.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Franco da Rocha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.5 R$281
$43.35 MX$808
21.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.4 R$291
$41.44 MX$772
31.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.5 R$473
$74.2 MX$1,383
19.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.7 R$421
$89.3 MX$1,664
-11.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Franco da Rocha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$335 R$1,792
$980 MX$18.3K
-65.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$258 R$1,380
$381 MX$7,099
-32.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$638 R$3,411
$1,708 MX$31.8K
-62.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$455 R$2,432
$1,075 MX$20.0K
-57.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,715 R$9,171
$3,943 MX$73.5K
-56.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,244 R$6,652
$6,158 MX$114.8K
-79.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Franco da Rocha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$735 MX$13.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.12
11.45
-2.88%

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

Last update for Franco da Rocha: October 24, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Franco da Rocha
$258
Playa del Carmen
$381 47.6% $123
Groceries & Markets
Franco da Rocha
$212
Playa del Carmen
$255 20.5% $43
Eating Out
Franco da Rocha
$134
Playa del Carmen
$202 50.9% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Franco da Rocha
$123
Playa del Carmen
$112 9.4% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Franco da Rocha
$71
Playa del Carmen
$137 92.9% $66
Getting Around
Franco da Rocha
$53
Playa del Carmen
$50 4.5% $2.4
Sport & Entertainment
Franco da Rocha
$39
Playa del Carmen
$67 72.4% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in Franco da Rocha and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38 in Franco da Rocha vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $255 per month, with Franco da Rocha cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Franco da Rocha
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
18:35 6:35 PM
16:35 4:35 PM
2 h behind Franco da Rocha
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
144,849
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5.35 BRL (1 BRL = 0.187 USD). 1 EUR = 5.95 BRL (1 BRL = 0.168 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Franco da Rocha Playa del Carmen 6,560 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Franco da Rocha
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Franco da Rocha vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Franco da Rocha and in Playa del Carmen?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $890 in Franco da Rocha and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, so Franco da Rocha is about 26% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Franco da Rocha compared to Playa del Carmen?
You’d need roughly $1,335 in Franco da Rocha and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Franco da Rocha and in Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $335 in Franco da Rocha versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Franco da Rocha or Playa del Carmen?
All in, you’ll spend $890 per month in Franco da Rocha versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Franco da Rocha is about 26% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do commuting costs compare in Franco da Rocha and in Playa del Carmen?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 35% less than in Franco da Rocha. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $890 in Franco da Rocha versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Franco da Rocha but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Franco da Rocha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Franco da Rocha and Playa del Carmen?
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.

Franco da Rocha vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?