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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,294 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,023 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,753 in Szeged, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$10.20 Ft 3,196

17.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$61.7 Ft 19.3K

-23.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$9.32 Ft 2,919

26.07%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.44 Ft 765

68.85%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.58 Ft 496

-11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.32 Ft 413

-31.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.25 Ft 705

42.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.35 Ft 735

200.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.22 Ft 382

37.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.49 Ft 466

44.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.74 Ft 857

-35.40%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.81 Ft 1,193

-25.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.45 Ft 3,272

-11.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.93 Ft 2,171

33.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$16.39 Ft 5,135

-22.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.41 Ft 756

22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.37 Ft 742

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.14 Ft 671

3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.54 Ft 1,108

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.09 Ft 343

82.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.19 Ft 372

66.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.63 Ft 510

-23.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.57 Ft 177

112.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$8.16 Ft 2,556

-43.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$5.04 Ft 1,578

108.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.31 Ft 412

29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.07 Ft 649

33.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.81 Ft 566

-66.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$31.30 Ft 9,806

-5.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$3.08 Ft 964

70.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.72 Ft 538

112.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$18.92 Ft 5,925

-69.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.94 Ft 609

-20.62%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$28.3K Ft 8.9M

-19.33%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$39.4K Ft 12.3M

-34.41%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$136 Ft 42.7K

-33.50%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$23.24 Ft 7,280

8.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$20.60 Ft 6,453

54.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$49.12 Ft 15.4K

40.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$31.29 Ft 9,803

-6.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$8.55 Ft 2,679

-43.16%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$259 Ft 81.3K

-13.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,070 Ft 2.2M

-40.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$108 Ft 33.8K

-56.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$35.02 Ft 11.0K

24.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$94.1 Ft 29.5K

-14.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$131 Ft 41.0K

-30.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$534 Ft 167.1K

103.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$387 Ft 121.3K

5.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$791 Ft 247.9K

149.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$635 Ft 198.9K

101.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$3,277 Ft 1.0M

23.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$2,403 Ft 752.7K

179.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,348 Ft 422.3K

-42.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.67

71.66%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Szeged: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $534 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 74% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Szeged. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $261 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 1%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,940 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,294 in Szeged. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% 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 $1,294, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.