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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,134 in Szolnok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,777 in Szolnok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,420 in Szolnok, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Szolnok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Szolnok are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Szolnok 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$10.10 Ft 3,149

28.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$47.16 Ft 14.7K

-1.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$8.57 Ft 2,672

46.91%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.49 Ft 778

60.64%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$2.08 Ft 648

-31.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$1.24 Ft 386

-34.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.68 Ft 837

13.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.93 Ft 914

132.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$0.96 Ft 299

78.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.28 Ft 400

73.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.71 Ft 533

0.58%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$3.27 Ft 1,021

-17.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$7.97 Ft 2,485

17.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$6.89 Ft 2,147

28.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$13.69 Ft 4,268

-6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.53 Ft 476

104.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.84 Ft 573

-15.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.57 Ft 491

36.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$2.55 Ft 795

-7.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.69 Ft 216

192.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.80 Ft 249

148.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.04 Ft 323

19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.40 Ft 124

197.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$6.90 Ft 2,151

-32.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$3.78 Ft 1,179

176.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$0.97 Ft 303

62.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.29 Ft 403

126.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$1.11 Ft 345

-49.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$26.73 Ft 8,334

11.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$3.08 Ft 961

72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$2.35 Ft 732

58.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$15.39 Ft 4,799

-62.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.87 Ft 584

-17.11%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$29.1K Ft 9.1M

-23.13%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$38.0K Ft 11.8M

-32.68%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$130 Ft 40.6K

-31.51%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$30.31 Ft 9,449

-23.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$23.45 Ft 7,310

35.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$43.41 Ft 13.5K

58.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$19.22 Ft 5,992

52.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$3.40 Ft 1,060

48.82%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$159 Ft 49.5K

39.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$5,033 Ft 1.6M

-14.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$86.1 Ft 26.8K

-46.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$53.0 Ft 16.5K

-16.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$91.7 Ft 28.6K

4.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$122 Ft 37.9K

-23.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$417 Ft 129.9K

156.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$336 Ft 104.8K

17.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$656 Ft 204.6K

203.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$532 Ft 165.9K

145.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$2,109 Ft 657.4K

91.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$1,664 Ft 518.8K

298.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$1,086 Ft 338.5K

-31.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

7.69

50.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Szolnok: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $417 in Szolnok. 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 45% higher in Szolnok, 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Szolnok. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $207 in Szolnok – so Szolnok 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 Szolnok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,702 in Szolnok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Szolnok, 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $1,134 in Szolnok. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Szolnok. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Szolnok, where all-in costs run around $1,134, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Szolnok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szolnok – 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 Szolnok. 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.