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 $2,502 per month in Frankston vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,466 per month in Frankston vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,430 per month in Frankston vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Frankston costs about 92% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Frankston sits 81% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.69 A$21.97

$11.96 MX$205

31.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.5 A$86.2

$47.38 MX$812

29.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 A$15.26

$11.75 MX$201

-7.32%

Cappuccino

$2.95 A$4.14

$4.12 MX$70.6

-28.40%

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

$3.23 A$4.53

$1.40 MX$23.98

130.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.00

$0.91 MX$15.63

135.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.08 A$14.12

$3.21 MX$54.9

214.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 A$9.93

$7.07 MX$121

0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 A$2.34

$1.68 MX$28.73

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 A$3.71

$2.15 MX$36.85

23.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 A$2.96

$1.77 MX$30.40

19.77%

Eggs

$3.89 A$5.44

$2.82 MX$48.24

37.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 A$15.89

$9.20 MX$158

23.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.09 A$14.13

$9.23 MX$158

9.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 A$10.80

$12.64 MX$217

-39.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 A$3.81

$2.95 MX$50.6

-7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 A$4.34

$1.58 MX$27.05

96.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.16

$2.22 MX$38.08

33.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 A$4.01

$2.36 MX$40.49

21.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 A$4.63

$1.99 MX$34.14

65.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 A$3.69

$1.98 MX$33.92

32.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 A$3.51

$1.24 MX$21.25

102.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 A$1.96

$1.21 MX$20.76

15.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$45.23 A$63.4

$4.60 MX$78.9

883.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 A$9.24

$10.52 MX$180

-37.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 A$4.55

$1.69 MX$28.98

92.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 A$6.23

$2.77 MX$47.53

60.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.71 A$5.19

$0.60 MX$10.32

518.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 A$122

$29.70 MX$509

193.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 A$6.39

$5.24 MX$89.7

-12.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 A$2.07

$3.65 MX$62.5

-59.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.70 A$44.40

$5.78 MX$99.1

448.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 A$1.77

$1.54 MX$26.35

-18.18%

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

$29.3K A$41.1K

$22.8K MX$390.7K

28.71%

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

$27.0K A$37.8K

$25.8K MX$442.3K

4.44%

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

$244 A$342

$90.7 MX$1,553

169.53%

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

$10.89 A$15.25

$25.19 MX$432

-56.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 A$79.6

$31.75 MX$544

79.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 A$80.5

$68.8 MX$1,179

-16.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.28 A$25.60

$29.37 MX$503

-37.76%

Cinema Ticket

$18.35 A$25.69

$4.86 MX$83.3

277.57%

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

$2,454 A$3,437

$226 MX$3,867

987.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.8K A$44.5K

$4,194 MX$71.9K

657.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.9 A$113

$47.38 MX$812

70.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 A$71.6

$43.45 MX$744

17.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 A$125

$80.2 MX$1,375

11.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 A$70.3

$91.4 MX$1,566

-45.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 A$2,098

$1,086 MX$18.6K

38.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 A$1,786

$409 MX$7,002

212.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 A$3,228

$1,972 MX$33.8K

16.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 A$2,639

$1,281 MX$22.0K

47.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,186 A$8,664

$4,046 MX$69.3K

52.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,022 A$7,034

$6,704 MX$114.9K

-25.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,533 A$6,349

$773 MX$13.2K

486.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

11.45

-49.00%

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

Last update for Frankston: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,498 in Frankston versus $1,086 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 486% 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 $62.0 in Frankston versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $278 – 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 92%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,752 per month in Frankston and $1,958 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 13% 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 $62.0 in Frankston and $47.00 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 $1,305, than in Frankston at $2,502. 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.