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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $926 per month in Szolnok vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,378 per month in Szolnok vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,831 per month in Szolnok vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Szolnok is about 28% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Szolnok and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Szolnok 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.00 Ft 2,487

$11.94 MX$208

-33.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.93 Ft 12.4K

$42.75 MX$744

-6.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 Ft 2,453

$10.59 MX$184

-25.50%

Cappuccino

$2.01 Ft 626

$3.62 MX$63.0

-44.48%

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

$1.47 Ft 457

$1.47 MX$25.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 Ft 351

$0.94 MX$16.41

20.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 Ft 575

$3.09 MX$53.8

-40.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 Ft 695

$4.46 MX$77.6

-49.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 Ft 258

$1.43 MX$24.80

-41.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 Ft 324

$1.88 MX$32.79

-44.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 Ft 479

$1.63 MX$28.34

-5.52%

Eggs

$2.21 Ft 686

$2.64 MX$45.99

-16.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 Ft 1,928

$8.21 MX$143

-24.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 Ft 1,572

$8.29 MX$144

-38.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 Ft 3,380

$11.10 MX$193

-2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 351

$2.65 MX$46.14

-57.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Ft 479

$1.50 MX$26.11

2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 Ft 416

$1.99 MX$34.59

-32.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 Ft 661

$2.08 MX$36.13

2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 Ft 288

$1.79 MX$31.11

-48.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 Ft 288

$2.18 MX$37.87

-57.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 Ft 312

$1.08 MX$18.73

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 Ft 108

$1.04 MX$18.04

-66.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.17 Ft 1,918

$3.97 MX$69.1

55.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.95 Ft 1,229

$10.20 MX$178

-61.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Ft 238

$1.73 MX$30.04

-56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 Ft 352

$2.50 MX$43.46

-54.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 Ft 298

$0.52 MX$9.02

84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.64 Ft 7,659

$26.97 MX$469

-8.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 Ft 787

$3.14 MX$54.7

-19.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 Ft 359

$2.40 MX$41.80

-52.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.94 Ft 4,334

$3.09 MX$53.7

351.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 Ft 535

$1.27 MX$22.16

35.43%

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

$18.1K Ft 5.6M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-41.46%

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

$34.7K Ft 10.8M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

48.68%

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

$102 Ft 31.7K

$82.0 MX$1,427

24.52%

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

$24.11 Ft 7,496

$22.45 MX$391

7.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.32 Ft 5,385

$29.66 MX$516

-41.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 Ft 16.1K

$51.9 MX$903

0.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.85 Ft 2,750

$18.67 MX$325

-52.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 Ft 2,220

$4.97 MX$86.5

43.66%

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

$145 Ft 45.1K

$198 MX$3,442

-26.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,402 Ft 1.1M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-35.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Ft 17.1K

$36.34 MX$632

51.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.31 Ft 8,491

$40.05 MX$697

-31.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.6 Ft 19.8K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-20.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 Ft 21.1K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-23.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 Ft 102.1K

$963 MX$16.8K

-65.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 Ft 84.6K

$465 MX$8,086

-41.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 Ft 147.2K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-70.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 Ft 120.1K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-68.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,992 Ft 619.1K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-49.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 Ft 493.8K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-75.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,054 Ft 327.7K

$720 MX$12.5K

46.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.26

11.42

-10.16%

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

Last update for Szolnok: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $329 in Szolnok 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 46% higher in Szolnok, 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 $40 in Szolnok versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $251 – making Szolnok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 39%, 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 $1,388 per month in Szolnok 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 Szolnok, 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 $926 in Szolnok 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 9% less in Szolnok. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Szolnok, where all-in costs run around $926, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Szolnok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szolnok – 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 Szolnok. 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.