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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,155 in Szentendre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,758 in Szentendre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,361 in Szentendre, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Szentendre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Szentendre are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Szentendre 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$11.73 Ft 3,576

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$55.5 Ft 16.9K

-25.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.85 Ft 2,700

20.23%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.08 Ft 634

69.23%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.42 Ft 433

6.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.24 Ft 379

-21.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.90 Ft 885

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.36 Ft 719

88.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.00 Ft 305

38.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.57 Ft 479

20.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.89 Ft 577

-13.23%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.71 Ft 826

-7.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.86 Ft 3,007

-15.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.09 Ft 1,856

36.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.32 Ft 3,756

-12.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.72 Ft 523

51.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.98 Ft 603

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.80 Ft 548

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.31 Ft 1,008

-37.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.08 Ft 330

64.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.22 Ft 371

79.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.48 Ft 450

-29.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.57 Ft 174

89.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$6.68 Ft 2,038

-38.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.00 Ft 1,830

72.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.11 Ft 338

54.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.73 Ft 526

49.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.17 Ft 358

-56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$27.16 Ft 8,283

-2.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.55 Ft 777

27.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.11 Ft 338

124.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$13.64 Ft 4,161

-76.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.81 Ft 553

-27.62%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$24.5K Ft 7.5M

23.63%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$31.1K Ft 9.5M

-24.58%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$145 Ft 44.1K

-42.69%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$26.47 Ft 8,072

-16.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$20.05 Ft 6,114

46.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$47.27 Ft 14.4K

9.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.40 Ft 7,137

-21.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.37 Ft 2,249

-31.21%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$333 Ft 101.4K

-39.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,399 Ft 1.0M

53.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$55.8 Ft 17.0K

-33.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$27.08 Ft 8,258

46.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$63.0 Ft 19.2K

24.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$68.3 Ft 20.8K

27.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$442 Ft 134.9K

119.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$340 Ft 103.8K

37.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$631 Ft 192.5K

160.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$543 Ft 165.5K

124.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,217 Ft 981.0K

22.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$4,023 Ft 1.2M

61.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,647 Ft 502.4K

-59.70%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Szentendre: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $442 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 148% 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 12%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,732 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,155 in Szentendre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% 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 $1,155, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.