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 $1,802 per month in Marsta vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,754 per month in Marsta vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,706 per month in Marsta vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Marsta costs about 40% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Marsta sits 35% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.22 SEK 123

$11.94 MX$208

10.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 SEK 634

$42.75 MX$744

60.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 SEK 98.3

$10.59 MX$184

0.09%

Cappuccino

$4.45 SEK 41.24

$3.62 MX$63.0

22.93%

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

$2.17 SEK 20.11

$1.47 MX$25.54

47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SEK 17.38

$0.94 MX$16.41

98.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 SEK 68.7

$3.09 MX$53.8

139.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 SEK 68.0

$4.46 MX$77.6

64.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 SEK 16.51

$1.43 MX$24.80

24.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 SEK 29.87

$1.88 MX$32.79

71.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 SEK 36.88

$1.63 MX$28.34

144.17%

Eggs

$3.82 SEK 35.43

$2.64 MX$45.99

44.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 SEK 130

$8.21 MX$143

70.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 SEK 89.0

$8.29 MX$144

15.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 SEK 146

$11.10 MX$193

41.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 SEK 34.21

$2.65 MX$46.14

39.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 SEK 23.75

$1.50 MX$26.11

70.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 29.12

$1.99 MX$34.59

57.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 SEK 37.00

$2.08 MX$36.13

91.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.07

$1.79 MX$31.11

-15.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.03

$2.18 MX$37.87

-25.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 SEK 25.03

$1.08 MX$18.73

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SEK 16.27

$1.04 MX$18.04

68.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 SEK 66.5

$3.97 MX$69.1

80.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 SEK 98.5

$10.20 MX$178

4.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SEK 16.60

$1.73 MX$30.04

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 17.40

$2.50 MX$43.46

-24.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 SEK 38.28

$0.52 MX$9.02

694.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 SEK 933

$26.97 MX$469

273.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.25 SEK 114

$3.14 MX$54.7

290.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 SEK 15.12

$2.40 MX$41.80

-32.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.0 SEK 556

$3.09 MX$53.7

1842.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 SEK 18.56

$1.27 MX$22.16

57.48%

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

$33.0K SEK 305.5K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

6.72%

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

$34.3K SEK 317.8K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

47.06%

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

$88.1 SEK 817

$82.0 MX$1,427

7.40%

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

$28.80 SEK 267

$22.45 MX$391

28.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.96 SEK 343

$29.66 MX$516

24.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.08 SEK 270

$51.9 MX$903

-43.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.91 SEK 231

$18.67 MX$325

33.42%

Cinema Ticket

$15.84 SEK 147

$4.97 MX$86.5

218.71%

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

$144 SEK 1,334

$198 MX$3,442

-27.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$746 SEK 6,914

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-85.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 SEK 720

$36.34 MX$632

113.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.96 SEK 398

$40.05 MX$697

7.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 SEK 935

$79.9 MX$1,390

26.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 SEK 996

$88.9 MX$1,547

20.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 SEK 7,926

$963 MX$16.8K

-11.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 5,977

$465 MX$8,086

38.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 SEK 12.8K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-13.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.1K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-10.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,869 SEK 35.9K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-1.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,651 SEK 24.6K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-58.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,003 SEK 46.4K

$720 MX$12.5K

594.46%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $855 in Marsta versus $963 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 594% 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 $68.0 in Marsta versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $251 – 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 40%, 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 $2,703 per month in Marsta and $1,930 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 $68.0 in Marsta and $43.00 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 $1,802 in Marsta and $1,287 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 $1,287, than in Marsta at $1,802. 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.