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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $926 in Szolnok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,378 in Szolnok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,831 in Szolnok, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 39% more than Szolnok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Szolnok are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Szolnok 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.00 Ft 2,494

49.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$39.93 Ft 12.4K

7.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.89 Ft 2,460

34.22%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.01 Ft 628

80.10%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.47 Ft 459

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.13 Ft 352

-16.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.85 Ft 577

67.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.24 Ft 697

99.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.83 Ft 258

72.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.04 Ft 325

80.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.54 Ft 480

5.84%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.21 Ft 687

19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.20 Ft 1,933

32.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.06 Ft 1,577

63.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.87 Ft 3,389

2.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.13 Ft 352

134.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.54 Ft 480

-2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.34 Ft 417

48.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.13 Ft 663

-2.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.93 Ft 289

92.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.93 Ft 289

134.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.00 Ft 312

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.35 Ft 108

197.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$6.17 Ft 1,924

-35.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$3.95 Ft 1,232

158.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.76 Ft 238

127.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.13 Ft 353

121.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.96 Ft 299

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$24.64 Ft 7,680

9.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.53 Ft 789

24.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.15 Ft 360

108.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$13.94 Ft 4,346

-77.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.72 Ft 536

-26.16%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$18.1K Ft 5.6M

70.82%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.7K Ft 10.8M

-32.74%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$102 Ft 31.8K

-19.69%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$24.11 Ft 7,516

-6.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$17.32 Ft 5,399

71.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$52.0 Ft 16.2K

-0.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$8.85 Ft 2,758

110.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$7.14 Ft 2,226

-30.39%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$145 Ft 45.2K

36.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,402 Ft 1.1M

55.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$55.0 Ft 17.1K

-33.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$27.31 Ft 8,514

46.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$63.6 Ft 19.8K

25.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$68.0 Ft 21.2K

30.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$329 Ft 102.4K

193.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$272 Ft 84.9K

70.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$473 Ft 147.6K

237.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$386 Ft 120.4K

212.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,992 Ft 620.8K

97.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,589 Ft 495.2K

305.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,054 Ft 328.6K

-31.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.26

11.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Szolnok: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $329 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 46% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Szolnok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $168 – making Szolnok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 39%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,388 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $926 in Szolnok. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% 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 $926, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.