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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,485 in Szentendre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,171 in Szentendre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,857 in Szentendre, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 13% cheaper than Szentendre, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Szentendre is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$12.91 Ft 4,016

-9.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$58.4 Ft 18.2K

-20.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$9.45 Ft 2,939

23.28%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.71 Ft 843

50.92%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.98 Ft 615

-30.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.25 Ft 387

-33.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$3.38 Ft 1,053

-0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.02 Ft 940

128.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.26 Ft 392

37.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.57 Ft 488

43.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.43 Ft 755

-27.16%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$3.31 Ft 1,030

-17.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$12.22 Ft 3,801

-24.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.59 Ft 2,050

35.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$14.23 Ft 4,427

-11.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.09 Ft 652

44.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.14 Ft 664

-26.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$2.19 Ft 682

-2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$4.19 Ft 1,303

-46.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.03 Ft 321

94.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.04 Ft 323

98.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.58 Ft 492

-25.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.55 Ft 170

118.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$8.32 Ft 2,590

-44.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$6.23 Ft 1,939

71.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.25 Ft 390

29.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$1.71 Ft 532

68.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.25 Ft 389

-54.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$29.51 Ft 9,183

1.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$3.11 Ft 966

75.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.38 Ft 430

168.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$19.15 Ft 5,959

-68.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.86 Ft 580

-16.67%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$31.9K Ft 9.9M

-30.04%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$35.2K Ft 10.9M

-26.26%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$161 Ft 50.1K

-44.69%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$31.69 Ft 9,858

-20.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$24.84 Ft 7,728

26.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$47.56 Ft 14.8K

42.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$20.83 Ft 6,482

38.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$7.79 Ft 2,424

-35.17%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$512 Ft 159.3K

-56.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$17.5K Ft 5.5M

-75.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$92.0 Ft 28.6K

-48.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$28.43 Ft 8,844

58.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$103 Ft 31.9K

-20.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$112 Ft 34.7K

-17.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$632 Ft 196.6K

69.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$576 Ft 179.1K

-29.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$785 Ft 244.4K

146.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$739 Ft 229.9K

76.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$3,223 Ft 1.0M

23.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$3,969 Ft 1.2M

66.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,604 Ft 499.0K

-53.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.68

71.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Szentendre: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $632 in Szentendre. 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 114% higher in Szentendre, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $58.0 in Szentendre. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $257 in Szentendre – so Szentendre 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 Szentendre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Szentendre is pricier by about 15%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,228 in Szentendre. 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,485 in Szentendre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% 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 $1,293, than in Szentendre at $1,485. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szentendre 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, Szentendre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.