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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,790 per month in Marsta vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,746 per month in Marsta vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Marsta vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Marsta costs about 42% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Marsta sits 34% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.37 SEK 127

$11.72 MX$203

14.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 SEK 662

$41.89 MX$725

66.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 SEK 98.7

$10.51 MX$182

-1.14%

Cappuccino

$4.46 SEK 42.39

$3.59 MX$62.0

24.23%

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

$2.10 SEK 19.93

$1.51 MX$26.10

39.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SEK 17.81

$0.92 MX$15.83

103.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 SEK 69.2

$2.96 MX$51.2

146.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 SEK 71.5

$4.41 MX$76.3

70.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.06

$1.40 MX$24.16

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 SEK 29.20

$1.88 MX$32.60

63.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 SEK 38.22

$1.56 MX$26.97

157.69%

Eggs

$3.69 SEK 35.06

$2.61 MX$45.14

41.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 SEK 132

$8.32 MX$144

67.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 SEK 90.9

$8.35 MX$145

14.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 SEK 151

$10.86 MX$188

46.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.25

$2.71 MX$46.93

33.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 25.67

$1.51 MX$26.04

78.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 30.20

$1.87 MX$32.41

70.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 36.81

$2.19 MX$37.89

76.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 SEK 14.32

$1.86 MX$32.14

-18.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.20

$2.23 MX$38.59

-28.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 SEK 26.13

$1.07 MX$18.48

157.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.56

$1.09 MX$18.79

59.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.48 SEK 71.0

$4.19 MX$72.4

78.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 SEK 98.0

$10.43 MX$180

-1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 16.14

$1.66 MX$28.68

2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 18.77

$2.61 MX$45.19

-24.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.26 SEK 40.50

$0.54 MX$9.37

688.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 SEK 971

$26.16 MX$453

290.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.06 SEK 115

$3.08 MX$53.3

291.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.57

$2.40 MX$41.61

-31.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.9 SEK 560

$3.13 MX$54.1

1782.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.10

$1.31 MX$22.69

45.80%

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

$33.0K SEK 313.8K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

10.81%

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

$34.4K SEK 327.2K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

47.66%

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

$88.4 SEK 839

$81.3 MX$1,406

8.71%

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

$27.99 SEK 266

$22.56 MX$390

24.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.99 SEK 342

$30.05 MX$520

19.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.76 SEK 273

$52.9 MX$915

-45.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.60 SEK 243

$18.39 MX$318

39.21%

Cinema Ticket

$15.86 SEK 151

$4.92 MX$85.1

222.36%

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

$143 SEK 1,362

$201 MX$3,474

-28.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$726 SEK 6,898

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-85.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 SEK 760

$35.92 MX$622

122.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 SEK 417

$40.13 MX$694

9.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 SEK 935

$79.7 MX$1,379

23.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 SEK 1,017

$86.5 MX$1,496

23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 SEK 8,012

$978 MX$16.9K

-13.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 SEK 6,202

$470 MX$8,140

38.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 SEK 13.3K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-15.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 SEK 10.3K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-9.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,464 SEK 42.4K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

12.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,186 SEK 30.3K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-51.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,806 SEK 45.7K

$677 MX$11.7K

610.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

11.42

-60.33%

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

Last update for Marsta: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $843 in Marsta versus $978 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 610% higher in Marsta, 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 $70.0 in Marsta versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $252 – 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

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

Yes – Marsta is pricier by about 42%, 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 $2,685 per month in Marsta and $1,890 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Marsta and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,790 in Marsta and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Marsta at $1,790. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marsta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marsta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.