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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,662 in Frascati versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,544 in Frascati versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,426 in Frascati versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Frascati is roughly 32% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Frascati is 24% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.29 €15.15

$11.99 MX$209

44.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 €65.5

$41.78 MX$728

79.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 €10.03

$10.75 MX$187

6.51%

Cappuccino

$1.76 €1.54

$3.50 MX$60.9

-49.71%

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

$2.45 €2.14

$1.45 MX$25.22

68.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.07

$0.88 MX$15.41

38.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 €5.22

$2.95 MX$51.3

102.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 €6.13

$4.51 MX$78.6

55.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.43 MX$24.94

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.84 MX$31.99

13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 €2.61

$1.57 MX$27.31

89.81%

Eggs

$4.19 €3.67

$2.51 MX$43.74

66.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.57 €15.39

$8.28 MX$144

112.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 €9.90

$8.43 MX$147

34.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.44 €17.90

$10.68 MX$186

91.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 €2.12

$2.61 MX$45.43

-7.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.98

$1.44 MX$25.04

56.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.96 MX$34.16

19.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 €2.29

$2.09 MX$36.47

25.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.55

$1.85 MX$32.24

-4.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.58

$2.17 MX$37.74

-17.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.15

$1.03 MX$17.96

27.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 €0.46

$1.07 MX$18.70

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.25

$4.10 MX$71.4

74.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 €7.11

$10.17 MX$177

-20.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.63

$1.68 MX$29.17

10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.31

$2.53 MX$43.98

3.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.51 MX$8.87

245.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.09 €25.48

$26.04 MX$453

11.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 €5.16

$3.23 MX$56.3

82.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 €1.38

$2.41 MX$41.88

-34.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.00 €30.66

$3.23 MX$56.2

983.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.32 MX$23.00

56.82%

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

$28.5K €25.0K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-3.97%

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

$29.1K €25.5K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

22.91%

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

$205 €179

$82.0 MX$1,428

149.82%

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

$11.08 €9.70

$22.95 MX$400

-51.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 €26.63

$30.11 MX$524

1.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.54 €43.38

$52.0 MX$905

-4.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 €15.08

$18.53 MX$323

-7.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 €10.15

$4.98 MX$86.6

132.73%

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

$542 €475

$197 MX$3,438

174.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K €9,195

$5,336 MX$92.9K

96.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.7 €70.7

$35.60 MX$620

126.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 €31.00

$40.33 MX$702

-12.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 €75.4

$78.8 MX$1,371

9.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 €128

$88.9 MX$1,549

64.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 €667

$947 MX$16.5K

-19.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 €502

$474 MX$8,254

20.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 €1,059

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-26.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$912 €799

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-24.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,906 €2,545

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-28.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,027 €1,775

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-68.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,399 €2,101

$654 MX$11.4K

266.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

11.42

-65.41%

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

Last update for Frascati: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $761 in Frascati and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frascati pays 267% 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: $75.0 in Frascati vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 267% higher in Frascati, 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: $761 in Frascati versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $75.0 in Frascati. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,662 per month in Frascati versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,662 in Frascati, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Frascati. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Frascati, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Frascati and Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Frascati. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.