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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,053 per month in Szeged vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,625 per month in Szeged vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,196 per month in Szeged vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Szeged is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Szeged and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Szeged 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.73 Ft 2,386

$11.87 MX$207

-34.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.19 Ft 13.9K

$42.90 MX$747

5.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 Ft 1,733

$10.65 MX$186

-47.32%

Cappuccino

$1.97 Ft 607

$3.45 MX$60.1

-42.90%

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

$1.36 Ft 421

$1.50 MX$26.19

-9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 Ft 286

$0.95 MX$16.52

-2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 Ft 729

$3.03 MX$52.7

-22.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 Ft 672

$4.61 MX$80.3

-52.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Ft 332

$1.38 MX$23.96

-22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 Ft 475

$1.85 MX$32.18

-16.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 Ft 547

$1.61 MX$28.06

9.94%

Eggs

$2.91 Ft 899

$2.59 MX$45.18

12.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 Ft 2,492

$8.26 MX$144

-2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 Ft 1,837

$8.37 MX$146

-28.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.31 Ft 3,493

$10.66 MX$186

6.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 571

$2.63 MX$45.80

-29.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 575

$1.49 MX$25.92

24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 625

$1.92 MX$33.44

5.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 Ft 895

$2.09 MX$36.34

38.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 315

$1.86 MX$32.35

-45.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 Ft 368

$2.26 MX$39.39

-47.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 Ft 430

$1.06 MX$18.51

31.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Ft 145

$1.09 MX$18.95

-56.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 Ft 2,320

$4.15 MX$72.3

81.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 Ft 1,638

$10.39 MX$181

-48.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 Ft 287

$1.72 MX$30.03

-45.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 Ft 383

$2.61 MX$45.52

-52.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 Ft 498

$0.54 MX$9.44

198.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.00 Ft 8,642

$26.94 MX$469

3.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 Ft 896

$3.13 MX$54.5

-7.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 Ft 395

$2.51 MX$43.73

-49.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.38 Ft 5,365

$3.15 MX$54.9

451.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 540

$1.27 MX$22.21

37.80%

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

$25.5K Ft 7.9M

$30.4K MX$529.1K

-15.89%

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

$25.6K Ft 7.9M

$23.6K MX$410.5K

8.45%

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

$104 Ft 32.2K

$83.0 MX$1,446

25.77%

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

$25.12 Ft 7,754

$22.71 MX$396

10.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.72 Ft 5,778

$29.46 MX$513

-36.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.21 Ft 12.4K

$51.0 MX$888

-21.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 Ft 6,143

$18.33 MX$319

8.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 Ft 2,401

$4.93 MX$85.8

57.81%

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

$221 Ft 68.2K

$197 MX$3,437

11.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,372 Ft 2.0M

$5,280 MX$92.0K

20.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 Ft 27.9K

$36.90 MX$643

144.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 Ft 8,060

$39.89 MX$695

-34.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 Ft 26.5K

$80.0 MX$1,394

7.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 Ft 32.4K

$89.5 MX$1,559

17.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 Ft 136.0K

$956 MX$16.7K

-53.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Ft 106.1K

$477 MX$8,311

-27.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 Ft 209.0K

$1,646 MX$28.7K

-58.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 Ft 165.7K

$1,225 MX$21.3K

-56.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,386 Ft 1.0M

$3,918 MX$68.3K

-13.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,456 Ft 758.0K

$6,459 MX$112.5K

-61.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,328 Ft 409.8K

$667 MX$11.6K

99.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

11.42

-48.77%

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

Last update for Szeged: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Szeged versus $956 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 99% higher in Szeged, 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 $45.00 in Szeged versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Szeged vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Szeged 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,580 per month in Szeged and $1,906 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 Szeged, 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 $1,053 in Szeged and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Szeged. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Szeged, where all-in costs run around $1,053, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Szeged it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szeged – 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 Szeged. 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.