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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,111 in Szentendre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,732 in Szentendre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,353 in Szentendre, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 13% more than Szentendre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Szentendre are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Szentendre 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$11.69 Ft 3,703

2.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$56.0 Ft 17.7K

-25.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.59 Ft 2,723

25.15%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.15 Ft 680

62.79%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.42 Ft 451

2.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.20 Ft 381

-26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.96 Ft 937

-0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.31 Ft 733

95.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.06 Ft 335

34.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.50 Ft 476

22.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.82 Ft 578

-13.74%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.62 Ft 829

-4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.67 Ft 3,064

-14.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.21 Ft 1,969

35.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$12.27 Ft 3,887

-12.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.68 Ft 531

55.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.97 Ft 624

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.88 Ft 595

4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.28 Ft 1,038

-36.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.08 Ft 342

71.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.21 Ft 383

79.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.56 Ft 494

-33.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.60 Ft 190

78.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.62 Ft 2,096

-38.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.03 Ft 1,911

68.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.12 Ft 353

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.72 Ft 545

47.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.18 Ft 373

-56.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$27.25 Ft 8,634

-4.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.65 Ft 841

21.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.12 Ft 355

115.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$13.72 Ft 4,349

-76.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.79 Ft 566

-26.26%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.4K Ft 7.7M

21.77%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$31.4K Ft 9.9M

-24.59%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$148 Ft 47.0K

-44.69%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$26.85 Ft 8,506

-14.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$20.19 Ft 6,396

49.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$47.40 Ft 15.0K

9.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$22.84 Ft 7,238

-18.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.40 Ft 2,344

-32.70%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$328 Ft 103.8K

-39.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,452 Ft 1.1M

54.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$56.2 Ft 17.8K

-36.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$27.77 Ft 8,800

45.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$63.5 Ft 20.1K

24.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$68.1 Ft 21.6K

30.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$445 Ft 141.0K

112.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$342 Ft 108.4K

38.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$625 Ft 197.9K

163.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$527 Ft 166.9K

129.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$3,222 Ft 1.0M

25.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$4,017 Ft 1.3M

61.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,569 Ft 497.3K

-58.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.03

62.45%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Szentendre: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $445 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 140% higher in Szentendre, 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 $56.0 in Szentendre. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $225 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 – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,666 in Szentendre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Szentendre, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,111 in Szentendre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Szentendre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Szentendre, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Szentendre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szentendre – 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 Szentendre. 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.