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: $1,638 in Bålsta versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,559 in Bålsta versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,481 in Bålsta versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bålsta is roughly 27% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bålsta is 22% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 SEK 121

$11.94 MX$208

9.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 SEK 648

$42.75 MX$744

63.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 SEK 87.9

$10.59 MX$184

-10.48%

Cappuccino

$4.28 SEK 39.68

$3.62 MX$63.0

18.23%

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

$2.79 SEK 25.88

$1.47 MX$25.54

89.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.31

$0.94 MX$16.41

156.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.19 SEK 66.7

$3.09 MX$53.8

132.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 SEK 68.6

$4.46 MX$77.6

65.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 14.99

$1.43 MX$24.80

13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 SEK 19.96

$1.88 MX$32.79

14.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 SEK 33.80

$1.63 MX$28.34

123.93%

Eggs

$3.71 SEK 34.43

$2.64 MX$45.99

40.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.53 SEK 107

$8.21 MX$143

40.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 SEK 109

$8.29 MX$144

42.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 SEK 107

$11.10 MX$193

4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 25.15

$2.65 MX$46.14

2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 23.86

$1.50 MX$26.11

71.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 SEK 21.36

$1.99 MX$34.59

15.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 SEK 27.44

$2.08 MX$36.13

42.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.05

$1.79 MX$31.11

-15.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SEK 11.67

$2.18 MX$37.87

-42.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 SEK 14.79

$1.08 MX$18.73

48.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SEK 9.51

$1.04 MX$18.04

-0.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 SEK 67.9

$3.97 MX$69.1

84.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.76 SEK 99.8

$10.20 MX$178

5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.37

$1.73 MX$30.04

-10.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 18.39

$2.50 MX$43.46

-20.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 31.59

$0.52 MX$9.02

555.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 SEK 671

$26.97 MX$469

168.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 SEK 56.1

$3.14 MX$54.7

92.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 SEK 11.48

$2.40 MX$41.80

-48.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.3 SEK 772

$3.09 MX$53.7

2596.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 17.78

$1.27 MX$22.16

51.18%

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

$32.8K SEK 303.6K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

6.07%

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

$34.8K SEK 322.2K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

49.10%

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

$52.7 SEK 488

$82.0 MX$1,427

-35.74%

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

$20.59 SEK 191

$22.45 MX$391

-8.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.27 SEK 345

$29.66 MX$516

25.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.89 SEK 370

$51.9 MX$903

-23.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.82 SEK 230

$18.67 MX$325

32.94%

Cinema Ticket

$13.91 SEK 129

$4.97 MX$86.5

179.88%

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

$125 SEK 1,156

$198 MX$3,442

-36.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$747 SEK 6,925

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-85.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.6 SEK 673

$36.34 MX$632

99.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.72 SEK 99.4

$40.05 MX$697

-73.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 SEK 771

$79.9 MX$1,390

4.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 SEK 1,092

$88.9 MX$1,547

32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 SEK 7,926

$963 MX$16.8K

-11.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 SEK 6,077

$465 MX$8,086

41.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 SEK 13.0K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-12.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 SEK 9,989

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-10.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,367 SEK 40.5K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

10.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,982 SEK 27.6K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-53.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,261 SEK 39.5K

$720 MX$12.5K

491.43%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $855 in Bålsta and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 491% 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 $251 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 27% 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 491% 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: $855 in Bålsta versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,638 per month in Bålsta versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 27% 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 168% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,638 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 $1,287 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 27% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.