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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,028 in Frauenfeld, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,964 in Frauenfeld, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,900 in Frauenfeld, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 57% cheaper than Frauenfeld, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Frauenfeld is 126% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$26.61 CHF 21.05

-55.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$139 CHF 110

-70.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$15.92 CHF 12.59

-33.17%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$6.18 CHF 4.89

-43.04%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$4.94 CHF 3.91

-69.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$4.28 CHF 3.39

-77.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$6.12 CHF 4.84

-51.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$5.67 CHF 4.48

-21.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.91 CHF 1.51

-27.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.64 CHF 2.88

-48.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.01 CHF 2.38

-45.51%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$7.63 CHF 6.04

-67.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$26.73 CHF 21.15

-68.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$29.48 CHF 23.32

-71.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$51.5 CHF 40.73

-79.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.55 CHF 2.81

-26.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.25 CHF 1.78

-35.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.50 CHF 1.97

-24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.39 CHF 1.89

-12.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.37 CHF 1.88

-24.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.42 CHF 1.91

-9.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.89 CHF 1.50

-44.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.26 CHF 1.00

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$11.00 CHF 8.70

-62.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$13.89 CHF 10.99

-25.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.50 CHF 1.98

-31.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.80 CHF 1.42

43.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$4.04 CHF 3.19

-87.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$97.9 CHF 77.5

-72.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$8.08 CHF 6.39

-59.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$4.15 CHF 3.28

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$87.0 CHF 68.8

-96.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-40.45%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

-25.76%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$42.6K CHF 33.7K

-44.99%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$249 CHF 197

-66.67%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$42.82 CHF 33.88

-48.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$57.2 CHF 45.27

-48.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$104 CHF 82.0

-50.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$20.04 CHF 15.85

-74.70%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$2,913 CHF 2,304

-93.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$42.5K CHF 33.6K

-87.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$130 CHF 103

-71.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$55.2 CHF 43.64

-27.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$124 CHF 98.4

-36.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$142 CHF 113

-38.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$1,492 CHF 1,180

-34.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$1,184 CHF 936

-60.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,659 CHF 2,104

-38.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$2,436 CHF 1,927

-49.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$13.8K CHF 10.9K

-71.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$10.2K CHF 8,072

-36.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$6,486 CHF 5,131

-89.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.35

385.96%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Frauenfeld: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,492 in Frauenfeld. 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 877% higher in Frauenfeld, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $139 in Frauenfeld. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $612 – 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

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

Yes – Frauenfeld is pricier by about 134%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,542 in Frauenfeld. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $3,028 in Frauenfeld. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 270% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Frauenfeld at $3,028. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Frauenfeld 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, Frauenfeld makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.