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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,539 in Szczecinek, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,179 in Szczecinek, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,820 in Szczecinek, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 16% cheaper than Szczecinek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Szczecinek is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.66 zł 38.85

10.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$24.71 zł 90.1

68.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.21 zł 33.58

15.53%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$3.69 zł 13.44

-4.61%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$1.04 zł 3.80

45.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.70 zł 2.54

38.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$4.19 zł 15.28

-29.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.53 zł 5.60

190.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.11 zł 4.04

24.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.06 zł 3.86

78.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.55 zł 5.63

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$3.40 zł 12.41

-26.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.33 zł 30.39

0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.51 zł 27.38

11.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$12.79 zł 46.63

-16.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.02 zł 3.72

154.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.98 zł 7.21

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.94 zł 7.09

-2.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$3.07 zł 11.18

-32.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.93 zł 3.38

91.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.70 zł 2.55

212.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.55 zł 5.66

-32.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.69 zł 2.53

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$5.43 zł 19.80

-24.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.48 zł 30.93

21.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$1.11 zł 4.07

54.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$1.60 zł 5.82

61.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.11 zł 4.05

-54.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$32.71 zł 119

-19.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.37 zł 8.63

37.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.77 zł 2.82

223.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$13.61 zł 49.62

-76.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.76 zł 6.42

-25.57%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$34.3K zł 124.9K

-11.63%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$30.2K zł 109.9K

-22.30%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$361 zł 1,318

-77.07%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$11.75 zł 42.83

89.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$15.59 zł 56.8

88.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$37.01 zł 135

39.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$19.41 zł 70.8

-5.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$7.54 zł 27.51

-32.76%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$377 zł 1,373

-46.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,552 zł 23.9K

-20.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$122 zł 445

-69.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$46.47 zł 169

-14.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$110 zł 400

-28.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$90.2 zł 329

-3.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$505 zł 1,843

92.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$494 zł 1,803

-5.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$962 zł 3,506

70.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$807 zł 2,944

51.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$2,673 zł 9,747

47.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$2,552 zł 9,307

154.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,354 zł 4,938

-50.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.2

171.90%

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 Szczecinek: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $505 in Szczecinek. 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 104% higher in Szczecinek, 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 $25.00 in Szczecinek. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $227 – making Szczecinek 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 Szczecinek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Szczecinek is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,309 in Szczecinek. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,539 in Szczecinek. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% 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 $1,297, than in Szczecinek at $1,539. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szczecinek 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, Szczecinek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.