๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,495 in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,175 in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,855 in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek.
๐Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 13% less than in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Frรฝdek-Mรญstek is 12% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Frรฝdek-Mรญstek
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73MX$203
$8.79Kฤย 183
33.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62MX$720
$37.10Kฤย 772
12.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.64MX$184
$8.75Kฤย 182
21.60%
Cappuccino
$3.52MX$60.9
$3.07Kฤย 63.9
14.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.12
$1.84Kฤย 38.37
-17.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97MX$16.84
$1.58Kฤย 32.92
-38.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95MX$51.0
$2.34Kฤย 48.72
26.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45MX$77.0
$1.88Kฤย 39.18
136.70%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Frรฝdek-Mรญstek
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.93
$1.21Kฤย 25.11
14.05%
White Bread(500g)
$1.89MX$32.72
$1.38Kฤย 28.62
36.96%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.64MX$28.32
$2.01Kฤย 41.82
-18.41%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.34
$3.04Kฤย 63.2
-17.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.34MX$144
$11.47Kฤย 239
-27.29%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.34MX$144
$8.80Kฤย 183
-5.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.73MX$186
$12.16Kฤย 253
-11.76%
Apples(1kg)
$2.60MX$45.04
$1.66Kฤย 34.51
56.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46MX$25.20
$1.79Kฤย 37.16
-18.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.87
$2.11Kฤย 43.98
-9.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$35.91
$2.95Kฤย 61.4
-29.49%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78MX$30.71
$1.09Kฤย 22.78
63.30%
Onion(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.80
$1.15Kฤย 23.84
90.43%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04MX$17.99
$1.43Kฤย 29.76
-27.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08MX$18.62
$0.60Kฤย 12.48
80.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08MX$70.6
$7.41Kฤย 154
-44.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.32MX$178
$7.24Kฤย 151
42.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71MX$29.61
$0.86Kฤย 17.80
98.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58MX$44.54
$1.85Kฤย 38.57
39.46%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Frรฝdek-Mรญstek
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.51MX$8.81
$0.92Kฤย 19.13
-44.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.46MX$458
$25.23Kฤย 525
4.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.26MX$56.4
$1.37Kฤย 28.57
137.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.49MX$43.09
$1.22Kฤย 25.47
104.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.25MX$56.2
$14.04Kฤย 292
-76.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.61
$1.72Kฤย 35.71
-23.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3KMX$523.7K
$28.1KKฤย 585.0K
7.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$405.3K
$28.9KKฤย 600.9K
-18.87%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Frรฝdek-Mรญstek
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.9MX$1,433
$225Kฤย 4,687
-63.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22MX$384
$30.49Kฤย 634
-27.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34MX$507
$19.03Kฤย 396
54.18%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Frรฝdek-Mรญstek
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.6MX$893
$64.3Kฤย 1,337
-19.67%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32MX$317
$16.75Kฤย 349
9.37%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07MX$87.6
$9.16Kฤย 191
-44.65%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Frรฝdek-Mรญstek
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,473
$400Kฤย 8,332
-49.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,212MX$90.1K
$5,653Kฤย 117.6K
-7.81%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Frรฝdek-Mรญstek
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92MX$639
$81.1Kฤย 1,687
-54.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79MX$688
$37.39Kฤย 778
6.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.5MX$1,357
$85.9Kฤย 1,787
-8.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1MX$1,506
$93.3Kฤย 1,941
-6.62%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Frรฝdek-Mรญstek
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$973MX$16.8K
$670Kฤย 14.0K
45.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$468MX$8,090
$560Kฤย 11.7K
-16.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,641MX$28.4K
$1,157Kฤย 24.1K
41.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,221MX$21.1K
$851Kฤย 17.7K
43.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,946MX$68.3K
$3,102Kฤย 64.6K
27.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,498MX$112.4K
$2,508Kฤย 52.2K
159.06%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Frรฝdek-Mรญstek
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$664MX$11.5K
$1,514Kฤย 31.5K
-56.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
5.52
106.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Last update for Frรฝdek-Mรญstek: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $670 in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐFrรฝdek-Mรญstek pays 128% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $37.00 in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $244 per month, with Frรฝdek-Mรญstek 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
Playa del Carmen vs Frรฝdek-Mรญstek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Frรฝdek-Mรญstek cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Frรฝdek-Mรญstek?
On paper, Frรฝdek-Mรญstek earns 128% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Frรฝdek-Mรญstek?
Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $670 in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Frรฝdek-Mรญstek?
Shoppers in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Frรฝdek-Mรญstek?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen โ a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $37.00 in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Frรฝdek-Mรญstek?
At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,495 in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Frรฝdek-Mรญstek more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Frรฝdek-Mรญstek?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Frรฝdek-Mรญstek are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 15% less than in Frรฝdek-Mรญstek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared