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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $907 in Szolnok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,380 in Szolnok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,853 in Szolnok, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% 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 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$7.72 Ft 2,320

51.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$41.01 Ft 12.3K

1.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$7.67 Ft 2,304

35.72%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.96 Ft 588

84.18%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.43 Ft 429

2.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$1.18 Ft 354

-17.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.91 Ft 574

52.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.25 Ft 677

105.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.84 Ft 252

70.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.04 Ft 313

82.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.62 Ft 488

-3.09%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.18 Ft 654

21.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$6.25 Ft 1,879

35.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$5.02 Ft 1,507

70.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$10.81 Ft 3,249

1.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.15 Ft 345

134.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.51 Ft 454

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.32 Ft 397

44.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$2.19 Ft 658

-0.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.88 Ft 266

112.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.94 Ft 282

137.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.92 Ft 277

17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.32 Ft 96.0

234.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$6.46 Ft 1,940

-35.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$4.04 Ft 1,214

154.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$0.75 Ft 226

124.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.13 Ft 339

123.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$1.00 Ft 300

-45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$24.18 Ft 7,267

8.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.52 Ft 756

26.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.20 Ft 361

105.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$13.86 Ft 4,164

-76.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.66 Ft 499

-20.48%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$17.9K Ft 5.4M

68.80%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$33.9K Ft 10.2M

-31.06%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$105 Ft 31.6K

-22.72%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$24.38 Ft 7,325

-8.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$17.58 Ft 5,282

70.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$52.8 Ft 15.9K

-2.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$8.56 Ft 2,573

114.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$7.16 Ft 2,152

-27.93%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$145 Ft 43.5K

39.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$3,494 Ft 1.0M

52.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$54.8 Ft 16.5K

-35.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$27.35 Ft 8,220

47.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$62.5 Ft 18.8K

25.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$68.0 Ft 20.4K

27.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$319 Ft 95.9K

197.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$276 Ft 83.0K

73.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$481 Ft 144.6K

236.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$383 Ft 115.2K

219.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$2,137 Ft 642.0K

87.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,628 Ft 489.2K

297.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$1,153 Ft 346.6K

-41.65%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Szolnok: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $319 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 71% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $41.00 in Szolnok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 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 43%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,360 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $907 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 $907, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.