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 $1,375 per month in Szczecin vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,989 per month in Szczecin vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,603 per month in Szczecin vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Szczecin costs about 7% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Szczecin sits 3% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 zł 34.57

$11.94 MX$208

-20.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.30 zł 175

$42.75 MX$744

12.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 zł 31.57

$10.59 MX$184

-17.85%

Cappuccino

$3.18 zł 11.55

$3.62 MX$63.0

-12.15%

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

$1.85 zł 6.71

$1.47 MX$25.54

25.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 zł 5.24

$0.94 MX$16.41

53.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 zł 11.75

$3.09 MX$53.8

4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 zł 11.59

$4.46 MX$77.6

-28.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 zł 3.32

$1.43 MX$24.80

-35.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 zł 4.64

$1.88 MX$32.79

-31.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 zł 3.33

$1.63 MX$28.34

-43.56%

Eggs

$3.39 zł 12.31

$2.64 MX$45.99

28.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 zł 35.44

$8.21 MX$143

18.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 zł 23.24

$8.29 MX$144

-22.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.02 zł 47.25

$11.10 MX$193

17.30%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 zł 3.28

$2.65 MX$46.14

-66.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 zł 6.25

$1.50 MX$26.11

14.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 zł 5.10

$1.99 MX$34.59

-29.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 zł 7.75

$2.08 MX$36.13

2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 zł 3.25

$1.79 MX$31.11

-50.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 zł 3.92

$2.18 MX$37.87

-50.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 zł 3.49

$1.08 MX$18.73

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 zł 2.07

$1.04 MX$18.04

-45.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 zł 19.53

$3.97 MX$69.1

35.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 zł 24.77

$10.20 MX$178

-33.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 zł 3.91

$1.73 MX$30.04

-37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 zł 5.44

$2.50 MX$43.46

-40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 zł 2.81

$0.52 MX$9.02

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.16 zł 98.6

$26.97 MX$469

0.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 zł 7.66

$3.14 MX$54.7

-32.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.58

$2.40 MX$41.80

-58.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.66 zł 49.58

$3.09 MX$53.7

342.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 zł 6.35

$1.27 MX$22.16

37.80%

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

$32.9K zł 119.3K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

6.41%

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

$31.3K zł 113.6K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

34.26%

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

$259 zł 942

$82.0 MX$1,427

216.38%

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

$10.68 zł 38.77

$22.45 MX$391

-52.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 zł 62.1

$29.66 MX$516

-42.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.67 zł 108

$51.9 MX$903

-42.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.12 zł 58.5

$18.67 MX$325

-13.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 zł 23.88

$4.97 MX$86.5

32.39%

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

$377 zł 1,369

$198 MX$3,442

90.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,149 zł 29.6K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

54.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 zł 204

$36.34 MX$632

54.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.75 zł 112

$40.05 MX$697

-23.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 zł 270

$79.9 MX$1,390

-7.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 zł 303

$88.9 MX$1,547

-5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 zł 2,321

$963 MX$16.8K

-33.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 zł 1,986

$465 MX$8,086

17.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 zł 3,567

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-38.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 zł 2,982

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-32.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,469 zł 12.6K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-11.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,435 zł 8,841

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-62.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,695 zł 6,154

$720 MX$12.5K

135.33%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $639 in Szczecin versus $963 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 135% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Szczecin vs $251 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

Szczecin costs about 7% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,063 per month in Szczecin and $1,930 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 $1,375 in Szczecin and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% 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 $1,287, than in Szczecin at $1,375. 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.