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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,078 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,643 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,208 in Szeged, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Szeged, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Szeged are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Szeged 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$7.76 Ft 2,456

51.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$45.37 Ft 14.4K

-7.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$5.71 Ft 1,806

84.06%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.96 Ft 620

83.16%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.37 Ft 433

10.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.99 Ft 314

-7.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.37 Ft 748

24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.16 Ft 683

104.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.11 Ft 350

26.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.46 Ft 460

28.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.84 Ft 583

-15.22%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.82 Ft 893

-7.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$7.83 Ft 2,477

6.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$5.89 Ft 1,863

41.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$11.22 Ft 3,550

-3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.86 Ft 587

45.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.77 Ft 559

-14.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$2.04 Ft 646

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$2.94 Ft 930

-25.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.05 Ft 333

77.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.20 Ft 380

85.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.44 Ft 456

-25.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.44 Ft 140

147.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$7.24 Ft 2,292

-42.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$4.95 Ft 1,565

110.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.00 Ft 316

66.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.19 Ft 375

119.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$1.56 Ft 493

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$28.00 Ft 8,860

-6.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$2.85 Ft 900

8.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.33 Ft 419

80.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$17.08 Ft 5,405

-81.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.76 Ft 557

-25.57%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$26.4K Ft 8.3M

13.06%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$25.5K Ft 8.1M

-8.45%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$106 Ft 33.6K

-23.36%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$24.84 Ft 7,860

-9.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$18.55 Ft 5,870

61.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$39.81 Ft 12.6K

32.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$20.18 Ft 6,385

-8.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$7.95 Ft 2,517

-38.11%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$217 Ft 68.8K

-7.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$6,385 Ft 2.0M

-18.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$89.0 Ft 28.2K

-59.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$25.65 Ft 8,116

56.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$87.6 Ft 27.7K

-9.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$107 Ft 33.7K

-18.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$436 Ft 137.8K

124.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$341 Ft 107.8K

38.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$662 Ft 209.4K

149.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$550 Ft 173.9K

118.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$3,269 Ft 1.0M

20.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$2,387 Ft 755.4K

176.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$1,336 Ft 422.7K

-49.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.85

95.21%

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 Szeged: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $436 in Szeged. 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 97% higher in Szeged, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Szeged. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $207 in Szeged – so Szeged 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 Szeged: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,617 in Szeged. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Szeged, 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 $1,078 in Szeged. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Szeged. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Szeged, where all-in costs run around $1,078, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Szeged it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szeged – 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 Szeged. 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.