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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $980 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,468 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,955 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% more than Zalaegerszeg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zalaegerszeg are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Zalaegerszeg 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$11.61 Ft 3,609

2.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$56.8 Ft 17.7K

-24.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.38 Ft 2,604

26.37%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.26 Ft 704

60.18%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.67 Ft 520

-11.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$1.24 Ft 385

-24.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.82 Ft 565

69.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$1.91 Ft 594

133.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$0.99 Ft 306

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.40 Ft 435

34.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$2.06 Ft 641

-20.87%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.06 Ft 952

-13.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$9.83 Ft 3,054

-16.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$4.58 Ft 1,425

81.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$7.38 Ft 2,293

50.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.46 Ft 454

81.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.97 Ft 612

-23.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.92 Ft 596

3.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$3.65 Ft 1,133

-43.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.17 Ft 362

52.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.20 Ft 374

81.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.16 Ft 361

-6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.58 Ft 179

79.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$6.65 Ft 2,067

-40.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$5.80 Ft 1,801

75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$0.82 Ft 254

110.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.41 Ft 437

77.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$1.04 Ft 323

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$17.23 Ft 5,355

56.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$3.21 Ft 999

-2.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.06 Ft 330

126.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$18.67 Ft 5,804

-83.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.76 Ft 547

-27.84%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$26.1K Ft 8.1M

18.26%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$31.0K Ft 9.6M

-24.86%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$135 Ft 42.0K

-39.31%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$25.97 Ft 8,074

-13.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$19.75 Ft 6,138

50.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$37.15 Ft 11.5K

39.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$34.09 Ft 10.6K

-45.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$7.24 Ft 2,251

-31.35%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$204 Ft 63.4K

-3.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$12.3K Ft 3.8M

-57.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$29.35 Ft 9,124

23.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$22.77 Ft 7,077

75.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$47.44 Ft 14.7K

68.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$52.3 Ft 16.3K

69.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$316 Ft 98.2K

204.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$273 Ft 85.0K

70.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$436 Ft 135.6K

266.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$292 Ft 90.9K

313.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$1,932 Ft 600.7K

103.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,592 Ft 494.9K

305.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$805 Ft 250.2K

-10.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

63.14%

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 Zalaegerszeg: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $316 in Zalaegerszeg. 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 12% higher in Zalaegerszeg, 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 $57.0 in Zalaegerszeg. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $200 in Zalaegerszeg – so Zalaegerszeg 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 Zalaegerszeg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,470 in Zalaegerszeg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zalaegerszeg, 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 $980 in Zalaegerszeg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Zalaegerszeg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zalaegerszeg, where all-in costs run around $980, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Zalaegerszeg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zalaegerszeg – 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 Zalaegerszeg. 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.