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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,055 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,657 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,258 in Szeged, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Szeged, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Szeged are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Szeged 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$7.82 Ft 2,432

49.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$45.23 Ft 14.1K

-7.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$5.65 Ft 1,759

84.07%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.96 Ft 609

84.18%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.36 Ft 423

8.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.98 Ft 305

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.33 Ft 724

30.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.16 Ft 672

106.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.11 Ft 344

24.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.53 Ft 477

20.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.85 Ft 575

-12.97%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.95 Ft 919

-12.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.82 Ft 2,435

8.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$5.62 Ft 1,749

51.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$10.94 Ft 3,403

0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.92 Ft 598

42.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.85 Ft 575

-18.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$2.04 Ft 634

-3.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$2.81 Ft 875

-24.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.05 Ft 328

77.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.19 Ft 371

82.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.45 Ft 450

-26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.48 Ft 149

118.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$7.14 Ft 2,221

-41.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$5.18 Ft 1,612

98.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.00 Ft 312

67.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.20 Ft 372

107.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.56 Ft 486

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$27.50 Ft 8,555

-4.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$2.78 Ft 864

11.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$1.27 Ft 396

93.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$17.38 Ft 5,408

-81.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.75 Ft 544

-28.00%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$25.8K Ft 8.0M

16.76%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

-8.26%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$106 Ft 33.0K

-20.70%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$24.82 Ft 7,723

-10.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$19.19 Ft 5,970

54.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$40.56 Ft 12.6K

29.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$20.08 Ft 6,249

-8.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$7.84 Ft 2,440

-36.86%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$223 Ft 69.5K

-11.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$6,248 Ft 1.9M

-14.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$88.1 Ft 27.4K

-59.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$25.98 Ft 8,084

54.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$85.8 Ft 26.7K

-8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$106 Ft 33.1K

-18.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$432 Ft 134.5K

125.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$339 Ft 105.4K

38.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$655 Ft 203.9K

143.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$536 Ft 166.9K

126.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$3,360 Ft 1.0M

19.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$2,468 Ft 767.9K

166.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$1,295 Ft 402.8K

-44.84%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Szeged: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $432 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 81% 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $45 in Szeged. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $208 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 20%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,583 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $1,055 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 $1,055, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.