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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,401 in Szczecin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,040 in Szczecin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,680 in Szczecin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 10% cheaper than Szczecin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Szczecin is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$9.24 zł 34.46

26.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$48.46 zł 181

-13.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.40 zł 31.32

25.12%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.20 zł 11.93

12.19%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.81 zł 6.74

-16.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.46 zł 5.46

-36.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.16 zł 11.80

-6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.33 zł 12.43

32.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.97 zł 3.61

44.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.34 zł 5.01

40.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.98 zł 3.65

59.18%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.22 zł 12.02

-18.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.57 zł 35.71

-13.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.32 zł 23.59

32.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$13.02 zł 48.56

-16.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.96 zł 3.60

182.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.71 zł 6.38

-11.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.40 zł 5.23

33.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.26 zł 8.42

-3.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.88 zł 3.29

111.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.08 zł 4.02

106.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.02 zł 3.82

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.57 zł 2.11

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.41 zł 20.19

-22.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.52 zł 24.31

59.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.08 zł 4.04

53.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.44 zł 5.38

81.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.80 zł 2.97

-32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$27.40 zł 102

-4.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.11 zł 7.88

45.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.99 zł 3.68

142.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$13.80 zł 51.5

-77.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.75 zł 6.53

-25.14%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$33.7K zł 125.7K

-11.55%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$31.5K zł 117.3K

-25.86%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$252 zł 939

-67.72%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$10.45 zł 39.00

115.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$17.44 zł 65.1

72.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$30.28 zł 113

74.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$16.40 zł 61.2

12.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.70 zł 25.00

-26.57%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$373 zł 1,390

-46.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,167 zł 30.5K

-36.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$55.5 zł 207

-35.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.53 zł 114

31.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$74.5 zł 278

6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$83.7 zł 312

3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$649 zł 2,421

50.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$547 zł 2,039

-13.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$970 zł 3,620

70.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$814 zł 3,036

47.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$3,384 zł 12.6K

16.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$2,473 zł 9,225

167.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,597 zł 5,957

-57.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.36

79.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Szczecin: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $649 in Szczecin. 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 136% higher in Szczecin, 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 $48.00 in Szczecin. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $208 in Szczecin – so Szczecin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Szczecin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Szczecin is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,101 in Szczecin. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,401 in Szczecin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% 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 $1,260, than in Szczecin at $1,401. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szczecin 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, Szczecin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.