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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,592 in Bålsta versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,508 in Bålsta versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,424 in Bålsta versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bålsta is roughly 25% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bålsta is 18% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.97 SEK 122

$11.87 MX$204

9.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 SEK 652

$42.90 MX$736

62.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 SEK 89.3

$10.65 MX$183

-10.61%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SEK 39.97

$3.45 MX$59.2

23.48%

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

$2.84 SEK 26.66

$1.50 MX$25.81

89.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.63

$0.95 MX$16.28

153.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.49 SEK 70.3

$3.03 MX$51.9

147.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 SEK 68.2

$4.61 MX$79.1

57.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 SEK 14.45

$1.38 MX$23.61

11.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 SEK 19.29

$1.85 MX$31.70

11.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 SEK 34.32

$1.61 MX$27.65

127.33%

Eggs

$3.69 SEK 34.62

$2.59 MX$44.51

42.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 SEK 110

$8.26 MX$142

42.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.01 SEK 113

$8.37 MX$144

43.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 SEK 107

$10.66 MX$183

6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 24.28

$2.63 MX$45.12

-1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.24

$1.49 MX$25.53

80.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 SEK 21.62

$1.92 MX$32.94

19.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 27.94

$2.09 MX$35.81

42.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.50

$1.86 MX$31.88

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SEK 12.17

$2.26 MX$38.81

-42.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 SEK 15.15

$1.06 MX$18.23

51.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SEK 10.07

$1.09 MX$18.67

-1.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SEK 71.1

$4.15 MX$71.2

82.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.33 SEK 96.9

$10.39 MX$178

-0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.14

$1.72 MX$29.59

-6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 17.75

$2.61 MX$44.85

-27.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 SEK 31.03

$0.54 MX$9.30

512.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 SEK 684

$26.94 MX$462

170.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 SEK 57.3

$3.13 MX$53.7

94.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 SEK 11.24

$2.51 MX$43.09

-52.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.0 SEK 778

$3.15 MX$54.1

2533.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 17.89

$1.27 MX$21.88

50.39%

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

$32.4K SEK 303.9K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

6.67%

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

$34.2K SEK 321.2K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

45.29%

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

$51.8 SEK 486

$83.0 MX$1,425

-37.60%

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

$21.14 SEK 198

$22.71 MX$390

-6.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.91 SEK 337

$29.46 MX$506

21.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 SEK 375

$51.0 MX$875

-21.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.28 SEK 237

$18.33 MX$315

37.92%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 SEK 126

$4.93 MX$84.5

172.82%

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

$129 SEK 1,206

$197 MX$3,386

-34.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$736 SEK 6,904

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-86.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 SEK 700

$36.90 MX$633

102.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.50 SEK 98.5

$39.89 MX$685

-73.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 SEK 788

$80.0 MX$1,373

4.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 SEK 1,099

$89.5 MX$1,536

30.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 SEK 7,825

$956 MX$16.4K

-12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 SEK 6,146

$477 MX$8,189

37.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 SEK 12.9K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-16.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.2K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-11.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,805 SEK 45.1K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

22.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,705 SEK 25.4K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-58.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,170 SEK 39.1K

$667 MX$11.4K

525.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-73.73%

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

Last update for Bålsta: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $834 in Bålsta and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 525% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Bålsta vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $250 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Bålsta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bålsta pays 525% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $834 in Bålsta versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,592 per month in Bålsta versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 171% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,592 in Bålsta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bålsta. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,271 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bålsta and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.