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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,644 in Frattamaggiore versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,505 in Frattamaggiore versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,366 in Frattamaggiore versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Frattamaggiore is roughly 30% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Frattamaggiore is 24% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.60 €15.24
$11.72 MX$203
50.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.0 €60.6
$41.89 MX$725
67.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.66 €10.10
$10.51 MX$182
10.94%
Cappuccino
$1.86 €1.61
$3.59 MX$62.0
-48.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 €1.80
$1.51 MX$26.10
37.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13 €0.98
$0.92 MX$15.83
22.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.67 €4.04
$2.96 MX$51.2
57.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65 €4.03
$4.41 MX$76.3
5.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.84 €1.59
$1.40 MX$24.16
31.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 €1.55
$1.88 MX$32.60
-4.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.93 €2.54
$1.56 MX$26.97
87.82%
Eggs
$3.74 €3.24
$2.61 MX$45.14
43.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.34 €12.41
$8.32 MX$144
72.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.27 €8.89
$8.35 MX$145
22.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.14 €13.98
$10.86 MX$188
48.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.33 €2.01
$2.71 MX$46.93
-14.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 €1.69
$1.51 MX$26.04
29.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 €1.86
$1.87 MX$32.41
14.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.21 €2.78
$2.19 MX$37.89
46.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 €1.53
$1.86 MX$32.14
-5.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.73 €1.50
$2.23 MX$38.59
-22.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.31 €1.14
$1.07 MX$18.48
22.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 €0.41
$1.09 MX$18.79
-55.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.81 €5.90
$4.19 MX$72.4
62.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.20 €6.24
$10.43 MX$180
-30.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.40 €1.21
$1.66 MX$28.68
-15.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.79
$2.61 MX$45.19
-21.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.75 €1.52
$0.54 MX$9.37
224.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.73 €37.87
$26.16 MX$453
67.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.81 €5.03
$3.08 MX$53.3
88.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.12 €1.84
$2.40 MX$41.61
-11.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.16 €30.45
$3.13 MX$54.1
1023.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 €1.72
$1.31 MX$22.69
51.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K €30.5K
$29.8K MX$515.7K
18.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K €23.4K
$23.3K MX$403.5K
15.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 €163
$81.3 MX$1,406
131.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.94 €11.21
$22.56 MX$390
-42.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.14 €26.10
$30.05 MX$520
0.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 €46.83
$52.9 MX$915
2.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.85 €19.79
$18.39 MX$318
24.25%
Cinema Ticket
$8.62 €7.47
$4.92 MX$85.1
75.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$398 €344
$201 MX$3,474
98.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,122 €7,034
$5,175 MX$89.5K
56.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103 €89.5
$35.92 MX$622
187.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.57 €37.74
$40.13 MX$694
8.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €87.3
$79.7 MX$1,379
26.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145 €126
$86.5 MX$1,496
67.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$756 €655
$978 MX$16.9K
-22.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$567 €491
$470 MX$8,140
20.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,205 €1,044
$1,651 MX$28.6K
-27.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$913 €790
$1,203 MX$20.8K
-24.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,828 €2,449
$3,953 MX$68.4K
-28.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,999 €1,731
$6,607 MX$114.3K
-69.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Frattamaggiore
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$677 MX$11.7K
-
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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Frattamaggiore and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Frattamaggiore vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $252 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 in Playa del Carmen?
Frattamaggiore and Playa del Carmen differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,644 vs $1,260 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 $2,466 in Frattamaggiore and $1,890 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 in Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $756 in Frattamaggiore versus $978 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 $42.00 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,644 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 30% 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

Similar cities