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 $1,364 per month in Szczecin vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,044 per month in Szczecin vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,723 per month in Szczecin vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Szczecin costs about 8% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Szczecin sits 0% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.45 zł 35.92

$11.60 MX$200

-18.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.34 zł 184

$47.11 MX$812

2.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 zł 33.11

$11.88 MX$205

-26.68%

Cappuccino

$3.07 zł 11.67

$3.98 MX$68.6

-22.86%

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

$1.84 zł 7.00

$1.43 MX$24.60

28.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 zł 5.78

$0.82 MX$14.22

85.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 zł 12.37

$3.19 MX$55.0

1.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 zł 11.97

$6.79 MX$117

-53.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 zł 3.47

$1.68 MX$28.89

-45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 zł 4.91

$2.20 MX$37.88

-41.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 zł 4.41

$1.71 MX$29.45

-32.16%

Eggs

$3.46 zł 13.14

$2.74 MX$47.26

26.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 zł 36.40

$9.58 MX$165

-0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 zł 24.91

$9.01 MX$155

-27.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 zł 49.96

$12.81 MX$221

2.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.89

$2.89 MX$49.81

-64.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 zł 6.37

$1.50 MX$25.81

11.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 zł 6.24

$2.15 MX$37.03

-23.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 zł 9.31

$2.26 MX$38.96

8.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 zł 3.32

$1.98 MX$34.15

-56.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 zł 4.24

$1.99 MX$34.30

-44.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 zł 4.44

$1.23 MX$21.28

-4.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 zł 2.19

$1.20 MX$20.63

-51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 zł 20.89

$4.55 MX$78.5

20.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.67 zł 25.35

$10.37 MX$179

-35.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 zł 4.44

$1.62 MX$27.91

-27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 zł 5.76

$2.88 MX$49.67

-47.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 zł 3.14

$0.60 MX$10.35

38.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.86 zł 102

$28.80 MX$497

-6.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 zł 7.62

$5.39 MX$92.9

-62.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 zł 3.45

$3.73 MX$64.3

-75.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 zł 51.1

$5.77 MX$99.5

132.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 zł 6.10

$1.54 MX$26.48

3.90%

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

$31.9K zł 121.4K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

41.58%

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

$29.9K zł 113.5K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

14.57%

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

$250 zł 951

$91.4 MX$1,576

173.56%

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

$12.95 zł 49.26

$25.20 MX$435

-48.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.37 zł 73.7

$31.24 MX$539

-38.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.84 zł 121

$67.2 MX$1,159

-52.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.4 zł 195

$29.11 MX$502

76.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 zł 25.66

$4.86 MX$83.8

38.89%

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

$349 zł 1,327

$224 MX$3,856

56.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,999 zł 30.4K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

89.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 zł 275

$47.10 MX$812

53.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.47 zł 139

$44.29 MX$764

-17.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 zł 311

$80.1 MX$1,381

2.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 zł 355

$92.7 MX$1,598

0.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 zł 2,430

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-39.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 zł 1,922

$390 MX$6,728

29.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 zł 4,485

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-45.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$856 zł 3,254

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-32.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,456 zł 13.1K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-13.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,478 zł 9,424

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-61.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,643 zł 6,247

$758 MX$13.1K

116.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

11.45

-40.44%

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

Last update for Szczecin: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $639 in Szczecin versus $1,063 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 117% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Szczecin vs $276 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 8%, 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 $2,046 per month in Szczecin and $1,899 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 $1,364 in Szczecin and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% 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 $1,266, than in Szczecin at $1,364. 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.