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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,357 in Fribourg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,992 in Fribourg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,628 in Fribourg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 61% cheaper than Fribourg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Fribourg is 151% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$30.98 CHF 24.42

-62.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$122 CHF 96.5

-66.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$17.75 CHF 14.00

-40.06%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$6.02 CHF 4.75

-41.53%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$5.16 CHF 4.07

-70.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$5.37 CHF 4.23

-81.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$6.96 CHF 5.49

-57.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$7.22 CHF 5.69

-38.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.06 CHF 1.62

-33.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.35 CHF 2.64

-43.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.36 CHF 2.65

-51.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$6.64 CHF 5.24

-62.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$29.09 CHF 22.93

-71.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$25.61 CHF 20.19

-67.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$37.53 CHF 29.59

-71.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$4.25 CHF 3.35

-38.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$3.21 CHF 2.53

-54.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.96 CHF 2.34

-35.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$6.20 CHF 4.88

-66.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.09 CHF 1.65

-14.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.33 CHF 1.84

-6.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.88 CHF 2.27

-63.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.60 CHF 1.26

-32.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$10.96 CHF 8.64

-62.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.85 CHF 8.55

-4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$3.93 CHF 3.10

-56.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.84 CHF 3.82

-46.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.67 CHF 2.90

-86.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$87.1 CHF 68.7

-69.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$7.78 CHF 6.14

-58.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.52 CHF 2.77

-29.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$74.6 CHF 58.8

-95.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.20 CHF 1.73

-40.45%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$42.1K CHF 33.2K

-28.06%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$40.6K CHF 32.0K

-42.30%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$311 CHF 245

-73.31%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$74.7 CHF 58.9

-70.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$53.3 CHF 42.00

-44.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$71.0 CHF 55.9

-27.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$45.30 CHF 35.72

-59.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$21.17 CHF 16.69

-76.05%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$1,813 CHF 1,429

-88.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$36.9K CHF 29.1K

-85.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$100 CHF 79.1

-63.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$82.2 CHF 64.8

-51.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$153 CHF 121

-48.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$216 CHF 170

-59.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,616 CHF 1,274

-39.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,300 CHF 1,025

-64.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,664 CHF 2,100

-38.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$2,083 CHF 1,642

-41.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$8,134 CHF 6,413

-51.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$5,140 CHF 4,053

26.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$7,283 CHF 5,742

-90.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.63

334.22%

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 Fribourg: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,616 in Fribourg. 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 997% higher in Fribourg, 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 $122 in Fribourg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $598 – 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 Fribourg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fribourg costs about 159% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,036 in Fribourg. 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.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,813 in Fribourg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 140% more in Fribourg, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Fribourg at $3,357. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fribourg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $3,357 in Fribourg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Fribourg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.