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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,062 per month in Frankston vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,019 per month in Frankston vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,976 per month in Frankston vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Frankston costs about 64% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Frankston sits 55% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.86 A$17.03

$11.72 MX$204

1.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 A$113

$41.89 MX$731

87.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 A$14.11

$10.51 MX$183

-6.47%

Cappuccino

$2.55 A$3.67

$3.59 MX$62.5

-28.97%

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

$2.61 A$3.75

$1.51 MX$26.31

72.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 A$3.41

$0.92 MX$15.96

157.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.23 A$10.38

$2.96 MX$51.6

144.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 A$10.02

$4.41 MX$76.9

58.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.08

$1.40 MX$24.35

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 A$3.52

$1.88 MX$32.87

30.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 A$2.73

$1.56 MX$27.19

21.79%

Eggs

$3.60 A$5.18

$2.61 MX$45.50

37.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 A$13.17

$8.32 MX$145

10.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 A$13.60

$8.35 MX$146

13.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.94 A$9.97

$10.86 MX$189

-36.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 A$3.58

$2.71 MX$47.31

-7.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.20

$1.51 MX$26.25

93.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.82

$1.87 MX$32.67

42.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 A$3.71

$2.19 MX$38.19

17.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 A$3.86

$1.86 MX$32.40

44.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 A$3.38

$2.23 MX$38.90

5.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 A$3.18

$1.07 MX$18.63

106.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 A$1.89

$1.09 MX$18.94

20.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.07 A$46.07

$4.19 MX$73.0

665.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.12 A$8.79

$10.43 MX$182

-41.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 A$4.32

$1.66 MX$28.91

81.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 A$5.69

$2.61 MX$45.56

51.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 A$4.79

$0.54 MX$9.45

518.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.2 A$95.2

$26.16 MX$456

153.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 A$5.04

$3.08 MX$53.7

13.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 A$1.95

$2.40 MX$41.94

-43.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.49 A$39.49

$3.13 MX$54.5

778.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 A$1.56

$1.31 MX$22.87

-16.79%

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

$28.4K A$40.8K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-4.60%

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

$22.9K A$32.9K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-1.92%

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

$154 A$222

$81.3 MX$1,418

89.89%

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

$9.60 A$13.79

$22.56 MX$393

-57.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 A$73.7

$30.05 MX$524

70.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.26 A$69.3

$52.9 MX$923

-8.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.76 A$22.63

$18.39 MX$321

-14.30%

Cinema Ticket

$16.55 A$23.77

$4.92 MX$85.8

236.38%

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

$1,756 A$2,523

$201 MX$3,502

774.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K A$27.9K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

275.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 A$98.9

$35.92 MX$627

91.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 A$76.4

$40.13 MX$700

32.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 A$115

$79.7 MX$1,390

0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.72 A$65.7

$86.5 MX$1,508

-47.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 A$1,809

$978 MX$17.1K

28.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 A$1,548

$470 MX$8,206

129.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 A$2,870

$1,651 MX$28.8K

21.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 A$2,458

$1,203 MX$21.0K

42.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,146 A$8,828

$3,953 MX$69.0K

55.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,074 A$7,289

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-23.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,356 A$6,257

$677 MX$11.8K

543.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

11.42

-45.80%

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

Last update for Frankston: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Frankston versus $978 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 run about 544% higher in Frankston, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Frankston versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $252 – 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

Frankston vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Frankston is pricier by about 64%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,093 per month in Frankston and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Frankston, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Frankston and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Frankston at $2,062. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Frankston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Frankston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.