😐A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,071 in Békéscsaba, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,577 in Békéscsaba, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,083 in Békéscsaba, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 18% more than Békéscsaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Békéscsaba are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen6% lower, Békéscsaba20% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67MX$202
$5.84Ft 1,818
99.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88MX$726
$40.92Ft 12.7K
2.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.40MX$180
$8.42Ft 2,621
23.52%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.6
$2.02Ft 629
78.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.45
$0.84Ft 261
75.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.80
$0.87Ft 272
4.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$52.6
$1.92Ft 598
57.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47MX$77.4
$1.17Ft 365
282.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.83
$1.02Ft 317
35.29%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84MX$31.93
$1.47Ft 458
25.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.82
$1.77Ft 552
-9.04%
Eggs
$2.57MX$44.52
$2.71Ft 844
-5.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$8.48Ft 2,637
0.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$6.02Ft 1,872
41.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.99MX$190
$12.33Ft 3,836
-10.87%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73MX$47.25
$1.40Ft 436
95.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.92
$1.98Ft 615
-24.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96MX$33.93
$1.47Ft 456
33.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.12MX$36.70
$1.75Ft 545
21.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.30
$1.03Ft 319
80.58%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.67
$1.12Ft 347
93.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.59
$0.59Ft 185
81.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05MX$18.18
$0.59Ft 185
77.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.6
$6.94Ft 2,159
-39.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.28MX$178
$3.15Ft 981
226.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67MX$28.87
$0.70Ft 218
138.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49MX$43.12
$0.84Ft 262
196.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$1.16Ft 361
-53.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.27MX$455
$25.39Ft 7,899
3.47%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10MX$53.8
$2.62Ft 814
18.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.46MX$42.66
$1.16Ft 362
112.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.24MX$56.1
$5.72Ft 1,779
-43.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26MX$21.83
$1.75Ft 545
-28.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2KMX$522.8K
$24.6KFt 7.6M
22.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$406.3K
$34.2KFt 10.6M
-31.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0MX$1,456
$175Ft 54.5K
-52.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21MX$385
$26.28Ft 8,177
-15.49%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65MX$514
$19.73Ft 6,139
50.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.6MX$912
$46.99Ft 14.6K
12.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34MX$318
$16.97Ft 5,280
8.07%
Cinema Ticket
$4.95MX$85.7
$7.09Ft 2,207
-30.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,438
$326Ft 101.6K
-39.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,322MX$92.2K
$3,391Ft 1.1M
56.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95MX$623
$54.4Ft 16.9K
-33.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06MX$694
$26.80Ft 8,339
49.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.8MX$1,365
$62.7Ft 19.5K
25.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,499
$66.0Ft 20.5K
31.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$977MX$16.9K
$454Ft 141.2K
115.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$471MX$8,158
$344Ft 107.1K
36.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,595MX$27.6K
$631Ft 196.4K
152.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,215MX$21.1K
$542Ft 168.5K
124.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,032MX$69.9K
$1,620Ft 504.0K
148.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,579MX$114.0K
$1,230Ft 382.6K
434.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Békéscsaba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$714MX$12.4K
$1,442Ft 448.8K
-50.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
7.5
52.27%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026
Last update for Békéscsaba: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $454 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 102% 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $41 in Békéscsaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $195 – making Békéscsaba 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 Békéscsaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Békéscsaba?
Playa del Carmen costs about 18% more than Békéscsaba, with the gap driven mainly by 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 vs Békéscsaba?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,607 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.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Békéscsaba?
Groceries cost about 29% 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.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Békéscsaba?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $41.00 in Békéscsaba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Békéscsaba?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Békéscsaba, where all-in costs run around $1,071, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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 $1,071 versus $1,261 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 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