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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,854 in Lund versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,027 in Lund versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,201 in Lund versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lund is roughly 43% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lund is 35% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.54 SEK 130

$11.71 MX$199

15.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 SEK 911

$46.59 MX$791

102.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.34 SEK 119

$11.65 MX$198

5.92%

Cappuccino

$4.79 SEK 46.16

$4.09 MX$69.5

17.11%

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

$2.78 SEK 26.80

$1.37 MX$23.34

102.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 20.45

$0.83 MX$14.16

155.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 SEK 78.3

$3.35 MX$56.9

142.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 SEK 72.4

$6.91 MX$117

8.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 16.68

$1.73 MX$29.33

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 SEK 26.40

$2.26 MX$38.39

21.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.31

$1.77 MX$30.05

112.99%

Eggs

$4.58 SEK 44.13

$2.73 MX$46.41

67.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 SEK 127

$9.18 MX$156

43.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.10 SEK 117

$8.92 MX$151

35.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 SEK 168

$12.60 MX$214

38.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 30.28

$3.02 MX$51.3

3.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 28.73

$1.57 MX$26.68

89.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.56

$2.13 MX$36.10

39.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 SEK 46.44

$2.26 MX$38.46

113.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 17.94

$2.00 MX$34.04

-7.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SEK 13.81

$2.06 MX$35.06

-30.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 SEK 26.82

$1.18 MX$20.04

135.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SEK 14.65

$1.20 MX$20.45

26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.29 SEK 79.8

$4.63 MX$78.7

79.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.62 SEK 112

$10.69 MX$182

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 19.21

$1.62 MX$27.50

22.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 SEK 26.61

$2.88 MX$48.93

-4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.25 SEK 31.34

$0.57 MX$9.74

470.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.2 SEK 638

$29.83 MX$507

121.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 SEK 51.7

$5.45 MX$92.5

-1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 SEK 11.13

$3.70 MX$62.9

-68.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.94 SEK 414

$5.98 MX$102

618.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 SEK 18.02

$1.55 MX$26.38

20.65%

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

$35.0K SEK 336.9K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

56.67%

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

$33.9K SEK 326.5K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

30.66%

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

$82.2 SEK 792

$89.1 MX$1,514

-7.78%

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

$32.06 SEK 309

$25.04 MX$425

28.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.65 SEK 420

$31.50 MX$535

38.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.47 SEK 371

$67.8 MX$1,151

-43.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.42 SEK 274

$28.92 MX$491

-1.73%

Cinema Ticket

$15.94 SEK 153

$5.05 MX$85.8

215.64%

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

$167 SEK 1,610

$225 MX$3,820

-25.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.8 SEK 816

$47.44 MX$806

78.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 SEK 584

$44.98 MX$764

34.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SEK 1,017

$82.0 MX$1,392

28.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 SEK 1,252

$92.1 MX$1,564

41.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 SEK 8,380

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 SEK 6,891

$405 MX$6,884

76.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 SEK 17.6K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-5.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 SEK 14.0K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

11.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,563 SEK 63.2K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

64.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,707 SEK 35.7K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-44.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,096 SEK 29.8K

$749 MX$12.7K

313.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.03

11.45

-73.54%

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

Last update for Lund: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $870 in Lund and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lund pays 314% 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: $95.0 in Lund vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $277 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Lund. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 314% higher in Lund, 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: $870 in Lund versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,854 per month in Lund versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 43% 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 122% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,854 in Lund, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lund. 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 $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lund 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 43% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.