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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,137 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,697 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,256 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Zalaegerszeg, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$14.45 Ft 4,506

-9.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$63.1 Ft 19.7K

-26.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$9.38 Ft 2,924

34.22%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.95 Ft 919

35.59%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$2.03 Ft 633

-30.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$1.31 Ft 409

-38.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.13 Ft 663

43.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.18 Ft 680

212.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.26 Ft 394

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.48 Ft 461

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$2.53 Ft 790

-32.02%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$3.54 Ft 1,103

-23.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$12.48 Ft 3,891

-24.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$6.30 Ft 1,963

40.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$13.05 Ft 4,070

-2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.92 Ft 599

63.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.20 Ft 685

-29.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$2.12 Ft 659

1.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$3.78 Ft 1,177

-37.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.03 Ft 323

96.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.15 Ft 359

73.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.44 Ft 450

-13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.61 Ft 190

95.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$8.39 Ft 2,616

-44.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$6.25 Ft 1,950

67.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.14 Ft 354

38.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.21 Ft 689

32.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$1.20 Ft 373

-53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$19.26 Ft 6,006

54.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$3.57 Ft 1,113

49.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$1.30 Ft 405

186.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$21.30 Ft 6,640

-72.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.95 Ft 607

-20.51%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$30.0K Ft 9.4M

-25.44%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$35.4K Ft 11.0M

-27.69%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$151 Ft 47.1K

-40.95%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$25.13 Ft 7,835

-7.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$24.89 Ft 7,760

27.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$40.97 Ft 12.8K

67.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$38.81 Ft 12.1K

-24.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$7.59 Ft 2,366

-33.33%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$222 Ft 69.2K

0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$17.2K Ft 5.4M

-75.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$32.30 Ft 10.1K

43.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$25.51 Ft 7,954

74.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$52.7 Ft 16.4K

81.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$57.0 Ft 17.8K

62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$354 Ft 110.4K

201.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$297 Ft 92.5K

32.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$475 Ft 148.2K

318.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$314 Ft 97.8K

315.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$1,940 Ft 604.7K

108.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$1,614 Ft 503.2K

310.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$802 Ft 250.1K

-6.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

6.74

72.11%

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 Zalaegerszeg: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $354 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 7% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $63.0 in Zalaegerszeg. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $251 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 17%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,706 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $1,137 in Zalaegerszeg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 55% 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 $1,137, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.