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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,258 in Szombathely, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,005 in Szombathely, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,753 in Szombathely, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Szombathely, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Szombathely are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Szombathely 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Szombathely
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 MX$199
$12.59 Ft 3,980
-7.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11 MX$807
$56.0 Ft 17.7K
-15.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.88 MX$204
$8.98 Ft 2,839
32.29%
Cappuccino
$3.98 MX$68.1
$2.47 Ft 780
61.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.45
$1.40 Ft 441
2.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$14.13
$1.33 Ft 422
-38.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$54.6
$1.85 Ft 586
72.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 MX$116
$2.42 Ft 764
180.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Szombathely
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.71
$1.23 Ft 390
36.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$37.64
$1.71 Ft 540
28.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.27
$2.45 Ft 774
-30.20%
Eggs
$2.74 MX$46.96
$3.43 Ft 1,084
-20.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 MX$164
$10.60 Ft 3,352
-9.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 MX$154
$6.99 Ft 2,211
28.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 MX$219
$16.95 Ft 5,359
-24.42%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 MX$49.49
$2.31 Ft 731
25.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.65
$2.13 Ft 675
-29.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$36.80
$2.56 Ft 811
-16.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.71
$3.44 Ft 1,086
-34.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.93
$1.17 Ft 369
69.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.09
$1.44 Ft 454
38.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 MX$21.15
$1.90 Ft 601
-35.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.50
$0.61 Ft 192
96.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 MX$78.0
$8.56 Ft 2,708
-46.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$178
$4.73 Ft 1,495
119.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.74
$1.32 Ft 417
22.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$49.35
$2.66 Ft 841
8.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Szombathely
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.29
$0.86 Ft 273
-30.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.80 MX$493
$27.69 Ft 8,755
4.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$92.3
$2.85 Ft 901
89.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.73 MX$63.9
$1.40 Ft 443
166.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 MX$98.9
$24.55 Ft 7,762
-76.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.32
$1.89 Ft 598
-18.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$386.3K
$29.8K Ft 9.4M
-24.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$446.5K
$33.9K Ft 10.7M
-23.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Szombathely
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.4 MX$1,566
$173 Ft 54.6K
-47.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20 MX$432
$21.19 Ft 6,700
18.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24 MX$535
$21.29 Ft 6,730
46.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Szombathely
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 MX$1,151
$49.16 Ft 15.5K
36.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 MX$499
$20.03 Ft 6,332
45.33%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$83.3
$4.63 Ft 1,464
4.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Szombathely
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 MX$3,832
$437 Ft 138.1K
-48.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,229 MX$72.5K
$8,042 Ft 2.5M
-47.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Szombathely
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10 MX$807
$104 Ft 33.0K
-54.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29 MX$759
$53.5 Ft 16.9K
-17.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 MX$1,373
$99.1 Ft 31.3K
-19.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 MX$1,588
$116 Ft 36.7K
-20.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Szombathely
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$18.2K
$543 Ft 171.8K
95.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,686
$353 Ft 111.7K
10.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 MX$36.8K
$769 Ft 243.3K
179.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 MX$21.8K
$681 Ft 215.2K
86.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,001 MX$68.6K
$2,489 Ft 786.9K
60.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,502 MX$111.4K
$2,030 Ft 641.9K
220.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Szombathely
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.0K
$1,186 Ft 375.0K
-36.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
7.5
52.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $543 in Szombathely. 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 56% higher in Szombathely, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $56.0 in Szombathely. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $265 in Szombathely – so Szombathely 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 Szombathely: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Szombathely cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,887 in Szombathely. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Szombathely, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Szombathely?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,258 in Szombathely. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 4% less in Szombathely. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Szombathely?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Szombathely, where all-in costs run around $1,258, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Szombathely it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Szombathely more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Szombathely – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Szombathely?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Szombathely. 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.

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