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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,053 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,625 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,196 in Szeged, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% 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 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$7.73 Ft 2,386

53.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$747

$45.19 Ft 13.9K

-5.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$5.61 Ft 1,733

89.84%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.1

$1.97 Ft 607

75.13%

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

$1.50 MX$26.19

$1.36 Ft 421

10.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.52

$0.93 Ft 286

2.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.7

$2.36 Ft 729

28.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.3

$2.18 Ft 672

111.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.96

$1.07 Ft 332

28.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.18

$1.54 Ft 475

20.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.06

$1.77 Ft 547

-9.04%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.18

$2.91 Ft 899

-11.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$8.07 Ft 2,492

2.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$5.95 Ft 1,837

40.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$11.31 Ft 3,493

-5.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.80

$1.85 Ft 571

42.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.92

$1.86 Ft 575

-19.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.44

$2.03 Ft 625

-5.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.34

$2.90 Ft 895

-27.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.35

$1.02 Ft 315

82.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.39

$1.19 Ft 368

89.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.51

$1.39 Ft 430

-23.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.95

$0.47 Ft 145

131.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$7.52 Ft 2,320

-44.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$5.31 Ft 1,638

95.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.03

$0.93 Ft 287

84.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.52

$1.24 Ft 383

110.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.44

$1.61 Ft 498

-66.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$469

$28.00 Ft 8,642

-3.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.90 Ft 896

7.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.73

$1.28 Ft 395

96.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.9

$17.38 Ft 5,365

-81.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.21

$1.75 Ft 540

-27.43%

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

$30.4K MX$529.1K

$25.5K Ft 7.9M

18.89%

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

$23.6K MX$410.5K

$25.6K Ft 7.9M

-7.79%

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

$83.0 MX$1,446

$104 Ft 32.2K

-20.49%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$25.12 Ft 7,754

-9.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$513

$18.72 Ft 5,778

57.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$888

$40.21 Ft 12.4K

26.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$319

$19.90 Ft 6,143

-7.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.8

$7.78 Ft 2,401

-36.63%

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

$197 MX$3,437

$221 Ft 68.2K

-10.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.0K

$6,372 Ft 2.0M

-17.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$643

$90.3 Ft 27.9K

-59.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$695

$26.11 Ft 8,060

52.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,394

$85.8 Ft 26.5K

-6.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,559

$105 Ft 32.4K

-14.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$441 Ft 136.0K

117.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,311

$344 Ft 106.1K

38.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$677 Ft 209.0K

143.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.3K

$537 Ft 165.7K

128.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.3K

$3,386 Ft 1.0M

15.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.5K

$2,456 Ft 758.0K

163.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$1,328 Ft 409.8K

-49.76%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Szeged: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $441 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 99% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Szeged. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $210 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 21%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,580 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,053 in Szeged. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% 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 $1,053, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.