Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Franklin, TN and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $3,122 in Franklin, TN, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Franklin, TN, United States
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Franklin, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$3,122
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Franklin, TN 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 Franklin, TN and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,122 per month in Franklin, TN vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Franklin, TN $3,122
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $4,506 per month in Franklin, TN vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Franklin, TN $4,506
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $5,889 per month in Franklin, TN vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Franklin, TN $5,889
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Franklin, TN costs about 159% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Franklin, TN sits 129% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Franklin, TN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$28.12 $28.12
$10.92 MX$203
157.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.3 $87.3
$43.37 MX$805
101.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.90 $11.90
$11.78 MX$219
1.02%
Cappuccino
$7.33 $7.33
$3.81 MX$70.7
92.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 $3.37
$1.28 MX$23.81
163.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 $2.29
$0.78 MX$14.54
193.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.55 $7.55
$3.17 MX$58.8
138.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.07 $8.07
$4.93 MX$91.7
63.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Franklin, TN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 $1.31
$1.41 MX$26.12
-7.09%
White Bread (500g)
$3.81 $3.81
$2.22 MX$41.17
71.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.42 MX$26.32
-
Eggs
$5.71 $5.71
$2.52 MX$46.85
126.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.47 $15.47
$7.26 MX$135
113.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.84 $17.84
$7.70 MX$143
131.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$12.69 MX$236
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.94 $3.94
$2.78 MX$51.7
41.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.93 $1.93
$1.37 MX$25.41
40.88%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$2.55 MX$47.37
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$2.12 MX$39.43
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.94 MX$36.00
1.55%
Onion (1kg)
$2.13 $2.13
$1.89 MX$35.02
12.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.47 $2.47
$1.15 MX$21.29
114.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.18 MX$21.89
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.46 $9.46
$4.30 MX$79.8
120.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.87 $12.87
$9.95 MX$185
29.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.58 MX$29.41
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.67 MX$49.60
-
🚌 Getting Around
Franklin, TN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.98 $0.98
$0.55 MX$10.28
78.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.0 $61.0
$26.62 MX$494
129.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$4.97 MX$92.3
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$3.33 MX$61.9
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.36 MX$99.5
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 $0.87
$1.44 MX$26.82
-39.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K $28.1K
$20.7K MX$383.8K
35.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$23.5K MX$435.8K
15.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Franklin, TN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 $214
$84.8 MX$1,575
151.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$116 $116
$23.41 MX$435
395.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$90.5 $90.5
$28.66 MX$532
215.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Franklin, TN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.6 $58.6
$57.1 MX$1,059
2.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.91 MX$537
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.06 $16.06
$5.14 MX$95.4
212.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Franklin, TN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$397 $397
$207 MX$3,836
92.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$3,927 MX$72.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Franklin, TN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.6 $98.6
$43.35 MX$805
127.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.7 $63.7
$41.44 MX$770
53.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.6 $75.6
$74.2 MX$1,378
1.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 $112
$89.3 MX$1,657
25.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Franklin, TN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,924 $1,924
$980 MX$18.2K
96.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,677 $1,677
$381 MX$7,072
340.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,203 $3,203
$1,708 MX$31.7K
87.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,711 $2,711
$1,075 MX$20.0K
152.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,526 $3,526
$3,943 MX$73.2K
-10.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,932 $2,932
$6,158 MX$114.4K
-52.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Franklin, TN
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,239 $6,239
$735 MX$13.6K
749.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
11.45
-42.45%

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

Last update for Franklin, TN: October 25, 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
Franklin, TN
–
Playa del Carmen
$381
Groceries & Markets
Franklin, TN
–
Playa del Carmen
$255
Eating Out
Franklin, TN
–
Playa del Carmen
$202
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Franklin, TN
–
Playa del Carmen
$137
Clothing & Footwear
Franklin, TN
–
Playa del Carmen
$112
Sport & Entertainment
Franklin, TN
–
Playa del Carmen
$67
Getting Around
Franklin, TN
–
Playa del Carmen
$50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,924 in Franklin, TN versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Franklin, TN are about 8.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87 in Franklin, TN versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Franklin, TN
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
02:18 2:18 AM
03:18 3:18 AM
1 h ahead of Franklin, TN
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
83,454
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.57 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.79 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Franklin, TN Playa del Carmen 1,700 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Franklin, TN
  • 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
Franklin, TN vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Franklin, TN and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,122 in Franklin, TN, $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 61% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Franklin, TN compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,683 per month in Franklin, TN and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Franklin, TN and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,924 in Franklin, TN.
How do commuting costs compare in Franklin, TN and in Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 56% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Franklin, TN and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $397 per month in Franklin, TN and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Franklin, TN at $3,122. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Franklin, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Franklin, TN and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $3,122 in Franklin, TN. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Franklin, TN and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Franklin, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Franklin, TN vs other spots: cost of living compared

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