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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,185 in Frauenfeld, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,151 in Frauenfeld, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,117 in Frauenfeld, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 60% cheaper than Frauenfeld, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Frauenfeld is 133% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$30.78 CHF 25.40

-62.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$124 CHF 102

-62.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$20.19 CHF 16.67

-41.16%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$6.24 CHF 5.15

-36.22%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$5.48 CHF 4.52

-73.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$5.03 CHF 4.15

-83.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$8.69 CHF 7.17

-63.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.97 CHF 5.75

-2.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.22 CHF 1.84

-24.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.84 CHF 3.17

-42.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$4.36 CHF 3.60

-60.78%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$7.77 CHF 6.41

-64.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$27.42 CHF 22.63

-65.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$29.79 CHF 24.59

-69.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$44.22 CHF 36.50

-71.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.78 CHF 3.12

-23.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.17 CHF 1.79

-30.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.77 CHF 2.29

-22.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$5.45 CHF 4.49

-58.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.41 CHF 1.99

-17.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.46 CHF 2.03

-19.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.42 CHF 2.00

-49.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.25 CHF 1.03

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$11.16 CHF 9.21

-59.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$14.98 CHF 12.37

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.94 CHF 2.42

-44.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.12 CHF 3.40

-30.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$4.38 CHF 3.62

-86.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$100 CHF 82.8

-71.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.59 CHF 4.62

-3.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$3.55 CHF 2.93

5.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$61.8 CHF 51.0

-90.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.29 CHF 1.89

-32.75%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$43.9K CHF 36.2K

-48.63%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$40.8K CHF 33.7K

-36.17%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$235 CHF 194

-61.04%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$40.43 CHF 33.37

-37.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$64.9 CHF 53.6

-51.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$103 CHF 84.8

-34.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$47.22 CHF 38.98

-38.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$24.17 CHF 19.95

-79.89%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$1,871 CHF 1,544

-88.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$33.4K CHF 27.6K

-87.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$168 CHF 139

-72.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$56.3 CHF 46.49

-21.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$196 CHF 161

-59.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$144 CHF 119

-35.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,472 CHF 1,215

-27.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,207 CHF 996

-67.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,653 CHF 2,190

-18.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,375 CHF 1,960

-46.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$16.1K CHF 13.3K

-75.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$12.6K CHF 10.4K

-48.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$6,330 CHF 5,225

-88.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.35

387.23%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Frauenfeld: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,472 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 735% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $124 in Frauenfeld. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $633 – 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 152%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,777 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $3,185 in Frauenfeld. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 248% 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 $1,266, than in Frauenfeld at $3,185. 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.