Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Békéscsaba

For one person, living is cheaper in Békéscsaba: $1,125 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $950 less a year. The total is higher in Playa del Carmen despite lower rent and utilities.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Békéscsaba
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,125
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Békéscsaba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Békéscsaba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,125 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Békéscsaba $1,125

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,647 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Békéscsaba $1,647

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,169 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Békéscsaba $2,169

Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Békéscsaba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Békéscsaba are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Békéscsaba 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$9.00 Ft 2,906
20.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$45.36 Ft 14.7K
-2.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$5.51 Ft 1,779
113.43%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$2.22 Ft 718
65.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$1.38 Ft 446
-2.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$0.88 Ft 286
-6.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$1.10 Ft 354
178.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$1.22 Ft 395
304.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.20 Ft 387
22.50%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$1.47 Ft 475
51.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$2.19 Ft 706
-32.42%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$3.23 Ft 1,044
-22.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$9.88 Ft 3,193
-23.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$6.75 Ft 2,182
17.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$14.52 Ft 4,692
-13.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$1.94 Ft 628
43.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$2.04 Ft 659
-29.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$1.58 Ft 509
65.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$2.86 Ft 924
-25.17%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$1.00 Ft 323
102.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$1.01 Ft 326
97.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$1.06 Ft 344
7.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$0.48 Ft 155
150.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$7.97 Ft 2,575
-46.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$3.08 Ft 995
225.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$1.05 Ft 338
46.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$2.13 Ft 690
24.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$1.27 Ft 410
-58.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$2.73 Ft 883
79.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$1.33 Ft 431
157.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$6.28 Ft 2,028
-14.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$1.85 Ft 599
-21.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$28.7K Ft 9.3M
-26.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$34.6K Ft 11.2M
-33.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$174 Ft 56.1K
-50.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$23.76 Ft 7,675
-1.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$21.51 Ft 6,949
32.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$33.92 Ft 11.0K
83.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$9.47 Ft 3,058
-46.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$548 Ft 176.9K
-63.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$17.1K Ft 5.5M
-76.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$99.1 Ft 32.0K
-55.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$31.41 Ft 10.1K
31.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$61.5 Ft 19.9K
18.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$118 Ft 38.2K
-24.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$425 Ft 137.5K
130.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$338 Ft 109.3K
10.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$557 Ft 179.9K
201.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$435 Ft 140.6K
151.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$1,526 Ft 493.1K
158.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$1,197 Ft 386.7K
412.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$1,398 Ft 451.8K
-47.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.45
77.52%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Békéscsaba: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Békéscsaba
$338 9.2% $34
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Békéscsaba
$229 11.5% $30
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Békéscsaba
$132 34% $68
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Békéscsaba
$219 59.5% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Békéscsaba
$140 25% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Békéscsaba
$53 27% $20
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Békéscsaba
$14 * 72% $37

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $425 in Békéscsaba. 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 90% higher in Békéscsaba, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Békéscsaba. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Playa del Carmen vs $229 in Békéscsaba – so Békéscsaba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇭🇺 Békéscsaba
🕒 Local time
09:54 9:54 AM
16:54 4:54 PM
7 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
54,460
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Békéscsaba 9,650 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Békéscsaba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Békéscsaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Békéscsaba?
Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Békéscsaba, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Békéscsaba?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,687 in Békéscsaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Békéscsaba?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Békéscsaba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Békéscsaba?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen and $45.00 in Békéscsaba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Békéscsaba?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Békéscsaba?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Békéscsaba, where all-in costs run around $1,125, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Békéscsaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Békéscsaba?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Békéscsaba costs $1,125 versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Békéscsaba?
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.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Békéscsaba?
If budget matters most, go with Békéscsaba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?