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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,401 per month in Szczecin vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,040 per month in Szczecin vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,680 per month in Szczecin vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Szczecin costs about 11% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Szczecin sits 5% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.24 zł 34.46

$11.72 MX$203

-21.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.46 zł 181

$41.89 MX$725

15.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 zł 31.32

$10.51 MX$182

-20.08%

Cappuccino

$3.20 zł 11.93

$3.59 MX$62.0

-10.86%

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

$1.81 zł 6.74

$1.51 MX$26.10

19.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 zł 5.46

$0.92 MX$15.83

58.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 zł 11.80

$2.96 MX$51.2

6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 zł 12.43

$4.41 MX$76.3

-24.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 zł 3.61

$1.40 MX$24.16

-30.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 zł 5.01

$1.88 MX$32.60

-28.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 zł 3.65

$1.56 MX$26.97

-37.18%

Eggs

$3.22 zł 12.02

$2.61 MX$45.14

23.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 zł 35.71

$8.32 MX$144

15.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 zł 23.59

$8.35 MX$145

-24.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.02 zł 48.56

$10.86 MX$188

19.89%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 zł 3.60

$2.71 MX$46.93

-64.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 zł 6.38

$1.51 MX$26.04

13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 zł 5.23

$1.87 MX$32.41

-25.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 zł 8.42

$2.19 MX$37.89

3.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 zł 3.29

$1.86 MX$32.14

-52.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 zł 4.02

$2.23 MX$38.59

-51.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 zł 3.82

$1.07 MX$18.48

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 zł 2.11

$1.09 MX$18.79

-47.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 zł 20.19

$4.19 MX$72.4

29.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 zł 24.31

$10.43 MX$180

-37.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 zł 4.04

$1.66 MX$28.68

-34.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 zł 5.38

$2.61 MX$45.19

-44.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 zł 2.97

$0.54 MX$9.37

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.40 zł 102

$26.16 MX$453

4.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 zł 7.88

$3.08 MX$53.3

-31.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.68

$2.40 MX$41.61

-58.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.80 zł 51.5

$3.13 MX$54.1

340.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 zł 6.53

$1.31 MX$22.69

33.59%

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

$33.7K zł 125.7K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

13.06%

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

$31.5K zł 117.3K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

34.88%

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

$252 zł 939

$81.3 MX$1,406

209.79%

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

$10.45 zł 39.00

$22.56 MX$390

-53.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.44 zł 65.1

$30.05 MX$520

-41.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.28 zł 113

$52.9 MX$915

-42.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.40 zł 61.2

$18.39 MX$318

-10.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 zł 25.00

$4.92 MX$85.1

36.18%

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

$373 zł 1,390

$201 MX$3,474

85.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,167 zł 30.5K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

57.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 zł 207

$35.92 MX$622

54.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.53 zł 114

$40.13 MX$694

-23.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 zł 278

$79.7 MX$1,379

-6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 zł 312

$86.5 MX$1,496

-3.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 zł 2,421

$978 MX$16.9K

-33.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 zł 2,039

$470 MX$8,140

16.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 zł 3,620

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-41.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 zł 3,036

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-32.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,384 zł 12.6K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-14.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,473 zł 9,225

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-62.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,597 zł 5,957

$677 MX$11.7K

136.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.42

-44.31%

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

Last update for Szczecin: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $649 in Szczecin versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. 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 136% higher in Szczecin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Szczecin versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Szczecin vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Szczecin 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

Szczecin vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Szczecin is pricier by about 11%, 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 $2,101 per month in Szczecin and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,401 in Szczecin and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Szczecin at $1,401. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szczecin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Szczecin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.