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 $1,055 per month in Szeged vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,657 per month in Szeged vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,258 per month in Szeged vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Szeged is about 16% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Szeged and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Szeged 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 Ft 2,432

$11.67 MX$202

-32.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.23 Ft 14.1K

$41.88 MX$726

8.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 Ft 1,759

$10.40 MX$180

-45.67%

Cappuccino

$1.96 Ft 609

$3.61 MX$62.6

-45.71%

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

$1.36 Ft 423

$1.47 MX$25.45

-7.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 Ft 305

$0.91 MX$15.80

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 Ft 724

$3.03 MX$52.6

-23.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 Ft 672

$4.47 MX$77.4

-51.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 Ft 344

$1.38 MX$23.83

-19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 Ft 477

$1.84 MX$31.93

-16.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 575

$1.61 MX$27.82

14.91%

Eggs

$2.95 Ft 919

$2.57 MX$44.52

14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 Ft 2,435

$8.49 MX$147

-7.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 Ft 1,749

$8.49 MX$147

-33.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 Ft 3,403

$10.99 MX$190

-0.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 598

$2.73 MX$47.25

-29.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 575

$1.50 MX$25.92

23.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 634

$1.96 MX$33.93

4.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 Ft 875

$2.12 MX$36.70

32.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 Ft 328

$1.86 MX$32.30

-43.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 Ft 371

$2.17 MX$37.67

-45.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 Ft 450

$1.07 MX$18.59

35.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Ft 149

$1.05 MX$18.18

-54.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 Ft 2,221

$4.19 MX$72.6

70.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 Ft 1,612

$10.28 MX$178

-49.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 Ft 312

$1.67 MX$28.87

-40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 372

$2.49 MX$43.12

-51.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 Ft 486

$0.54 MX$9.37

188.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.50 Ft 8,555

$26.27 MX$455

4.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 Ft 864

$3.10 MX$53.8

-10.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 Ft 396

$2.46 MX$42.66

-48.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.38 Ft 5,408

$3.24 MX$56.1

436.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 544

$1.26 MX$21.83

38.89%

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

$25.8K Ft 8.0M

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-14.35%

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

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

$23.4K MX$406.3K

9.00%

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

$106 Ft 33.0K

$84.0 MX$1,456

26.11%

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

$24.82 Ft 7,723

$22.21 MX$385

11.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.19 Ft 5,970

$29.65 MX$514

-35.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.56 Ft 12.6K

$52.6 MX$912

-22.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.08 Ft 6,249

$18.34 MX$318

9.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 Ft 2,440

$4.95 MX$85.7

58.38%

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

$223 Ft 69.5K

$198 MX$3,438

12.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,248 Ft 1.9M

$5,322 MX$92.2K

17.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 Ft 27.4K

$35.95 MX$623

145.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.98 Ft 8,084

$40.06 MX$694

-35.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 Ft 26.7K

$78.8 MX$1,365

8.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 Ft 33.1K

$86.5 MX$1,499

22.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 Ft 134.5K

$977 MX$16.9K

-55.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 Ft 105.4K

$471 MX$8,158

-28.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 Ft 203.9K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-58.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 Ft 166.9K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-55.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,360 Ft 1.0M

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-16.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,468 Ft 767.9K

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-62.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,295 Ft 402.8K

$714 MX$12.4K

81.29%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Szeged versus $977 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 81% 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 in Szeged versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Szeged vs $252 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 20%, 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 $1,583 per month in Szeged and $1,891 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 $1,055 in Szeged and $1,261 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 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 $1,055, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.