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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,047 per month in Malmo vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,170 per month in Malmo vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,292 per month in Malmo vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Malmo costs about 58% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Malmo sits 53% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 SEK 127

$11.73 MX$203

14.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 SEK 804

$41.62 MX$721

105.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 SEK 119

$10.64 MX$184

19.08%

Cappuccino

$5.05 SEK 47.48

$3.52 MX$61.0

43.47%

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

$2.69 SEK 25.24

$1.51 MX$26.17

78.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 20.21

$0.97 MX$16.87

121.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 SEK 75.2

$2.95 MX$51.1

171.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 SEK 77.1

$4.45 MX$77.2

84.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 15.72

$1.38 MX$23.97

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 SEK 29.19

$1.89 MX$32.78

64.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 33.93

$1.64 MX$28.37

120.12%

Eggs

$4.42 SEK 41.49

$2.51 MX$43.42

76.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 SEK 113

$8.34 MX$145

44.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 SEK 120

$8.34 MX$145

53.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.50 SEK 258

$10.73 MX$186

156.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 SEK 30.69

$2.60 MX$45.12

25.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 SEK 26.12

$1.46 MX$25.25

90.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 SEK 30.45

$1.90 MX$32.94

70.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 SEK 44.97

$2.08 MX$35.98

130.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.19

$1.78 MX$30.77

2.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.34

$2.19 MX$37.87

-10.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 SEK 24.14

$1.04 MX$18.02

147.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.58

$1.08 MX$18.66

24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 SEK 76.4

$4.08 MX$70.7

99.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 SEK 114

$10.32 MX$179

17.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 23.75

$1.71 MX$29.67

47.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 24.96

$2.58 MX$44.63

3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.36 SEK 31.58

$0.51 MX$8.83

558.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 SEK 651

$26.46 MX$459

161.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 SEK 60.5

$3.26 MX$56.5

97.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.80

$2.49 MX$43.17

6.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.2 SEK 528

$3.25 MX$56.3

1628.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.04

$1.31 MX$22.65

46.56%

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

$33.1K SEK 310.7K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

9.24%

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

$33.8K SEK 317.4K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

44.23%

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

$154 SEK 1,442

$82.9 MX$1,436

85.31%

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

$30.36 SEK 285

$22.22 MX$385

36.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 SEK 379

$29.34 MX$508

37.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.30 SEK 360

$51.6 MX$895

-25.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 SEK 223

$18.32 MX$317

29.80%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 SEK 167

$5.07 MX$87.8

251.28%

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

$162 SEK 1,518

$201 MX$3,480

-19.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,876 SEK 45.8K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-6.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 983

$36.92 MX$640

183.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.70 SEK 429

$39.79 MX$689

14.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 SEK 1,166

$78.5 MX$1,360

58.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 SEK 1,552

$87.1 MX$1,509

89.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 SEK 8,751

$973 MX$16.9K

-4.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 SEK 7,264

$468 MX$8,105

65.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 SEK 16.2K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

4.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 SEK 12.6K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

9.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,311 SEK 40.5K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

9.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,360 SEK 31.6K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-48.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

$664 MX$11.5K

404.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

11.42

-57.44%

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

Last update for Malmo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $932 in Malmo versus $973 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 405% higher in Malmo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Malmo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Malmo costs about 58% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,071 per month in Malmo and $1,945 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $162 per month in Malmo and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Malmo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Malmo at $2,047. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $2,047 in Malmo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malmo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.