😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Frattamaggiore versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,544 in Frattamaggiore versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,428 in Frattamaggiore versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Frattamaggiore is roughly 29% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Frattamaggiore is 24% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.02€14.57
$11.94MX$209
42.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.6€59.6
$42.75MX$748
62.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.78€10.09
$10.59MX$185
11.24%
Cappuccino
$1.86€1.59
$3.62MX$63.4
-48.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07€1.77
$1.47MX$25.69
40.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12€0.96
$0.94MX$16.51
19.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.54€3.89
$3.09MX$54.1
46.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.74€4.06
$4.46MX$78.0
6.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.77€1.51
$1.43MX$24.94
23.78%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80€1.54
$1.88MX$32.97
-4.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.95€2.52
$1.63MX$28.50
80.98%
Eggs
$3.74€3.20
$2.64MX$46.26
41.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.10€12.07
$8.21MX$144
71.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.19€8.73
$8.29MX$145
22.92%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.08€13.77
$11.10MX$194
44.86%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24€1.92
$2.65MX$46.40
-15.47%
Banana(1kg)
$1.96€1.68
$1.50MX$26.26
30.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.17€1.86
$1.99MX$34.79
9.05%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.25€2.78
$2.08MX$36.33
56.25%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78€1.52
$1.79MX$31.29
-0.56%
Onion(1kg)
$1.79€1.53
$2.18MX$38.09
-17.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.31€1.12
$1.08MX$18.84
21.30%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49€0.42
$1.04MX$18.15
-52.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.11€6.08
$3.97MX$69.5
79.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.40€6.33
$10.20MX$179
-27.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46€1.25
$1.73MX$30.22
-15.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00€1.71
$2.50MX$43.71
-20.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.76€1.51
$0.52MX$9.07
238.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.65€36.51
$26.97MX$472
58.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.70€4.88
$3.14MX$55.0
81.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.13€1.83
$2.40MX$42.04
-11.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.10€29.19
$3.09MX$54.0
1003.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.02€1.73
$1.27MX$22.28
59.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K€30.4K
$30.9KMX$540.4K
14.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K€22.5K
$23.3KMX$408.0K
12.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$182€156
$82.0MX$1,435
122.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.35€11.43
$22.45MX$393
-40.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.15€24.95
$29.66MX$519
-1.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.4€47.38
$51.9MX$908
6.71%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.10€19.77
$18.67MX$327
23.73%
Cinema Ticket
$8.56€7.32
$4.97MX$87.0
72.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$388€332
$198MX$3,462
96.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,955€6,810
$5,273MX$92.3K
50.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104€88.9
$36.34MX$636
185.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.20€37.84
$40.05MX$701
10.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101€86.2
$79.9MX$1,398
25.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145€124
$88.9MX$1,555
63.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$751€643
$963MX$16.9K
-22.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$587€503
$465MX$8,133
26.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,236€1,058
$1,596MX$27.9K
-22.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$916€784
$1,209MX$21.2K
-24.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,587€2,214
$3,942MX$69.0K
-34.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,268€1,941
$6,448MX$112.8K
-64.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$720MX$12.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.04
11.42
-64.62%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Frattamaggiore: April 26, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $751 in Frattamaggiore and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $70.0 in Frattamaggiore vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $251 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
Frattamaggiore vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Frattamaggiore and Playa del Carmen?
Frattamaggiore and Playa del Carmen differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Frattamaggiore compared to Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $2,491 in Frattamaggiore and $1,930 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 Frattamaggiore and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $751 in Frattamaggiore versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Frattamaggiore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $70.0 in Frattamaggiore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,660 in Frattamaggiore, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Frattamaggiore. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Frattamaggiore 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.
Is Frattamaggiore or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Frattamaggiore 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.
Where should expats move: Frattamaggiore or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Frattamaggiore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Frattamaggiore vs other spots: cost of living compared