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 $1,669 per month in Marsta vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,655 per month in Marsta vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,640 per month in Marsta vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Marsta costs about 32% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Marsta sits 22% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.49 SEK 132

$11.60 MX$199

16.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 SEK 673

$47.11 MX$809

45.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 SEK 102

$11.88 MX$204

-12.96%

Cappuccino

$4.59 SEK 45.12

$3.98 MX$68.2

15.33%

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

$2.07 SEK 20.30

$1.43 MX$24.49

44.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SEK 18.93

$0.82 MX$14.16

135.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.25 SEK 71.2

$3.19 MX$54.7

127.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 SEK 72.7

$6.79 MX$117

8.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.85

$1.68 MX$28.76

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 SEK 31.68

$2.20 MX$37.71

46.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.47 SEK 53.7

$1.71 MX$29.32

219.88%

Eggs

$3.83 SEK 37.59

$2.74 MX$47.05

39.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.13 SEK 139

$9.58 MX$164

47.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 SEK 89.8

$9.01 MX$155

1.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.61 SEK 173

$12.81 MX$220

37.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 SEK 30.97

$2.89 MX$49.58

9.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 SEK 26.15

$1.50 MX$25.70

77.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SEK 20.08

$2.15 MX$36.87

-5.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 SEK 38.74

$2.26 MX$38.79

74.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.68

$1.98 MX$34.00

-24.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 15.52

$1.99 MX$34.15

-20.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 SEK 20.09

$1.23 MX$21.18

65.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 SEK 18.83

$1.20 MX$20.54

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.15 SEK 70.2

$4.55 MX$78.1

57.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 SEK 103

$10.37 MX$178

1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 SEK 19.73

$1.62 MX$27.79

24.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 22.04

$2.88 MX$49.44

-22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 SEK 33.31

$0.60 MX$10.30

465.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.2 SEK 778

$28.80 MX$494

175.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 SEK 133

$5.39 MX$92.5

151.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 SEK 19.96

$3.73 MX$64.0

-45.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.4 SEK 584

$5.77 MX$99.0

929.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 SEK 17.23

$1.54 MX$26.37

13.64%

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

$34.7K SEK 340.5K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

53.69%

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

$34.0K SEK 333.9K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

30.44%

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

$62.5 SEK 614

$91.4 MX$1,569

-31.57%

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

$26.88 SEK 264

$25.20 MX$433

6.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.99 SEK 403

$31.24 MX$536

31.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.54 SEK 379

$67.2 MX$1,154

-42.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.52 SEK 251

$29.11 MX$500

-12.33%

Cinema Ticket

$16.34 SEK 161

$4.86 MX$83.5

236.21%

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

$224 SEK 2,205

$224 MX$3,839

0.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,274 SEK 51.8K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

24.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 SEK 510

$47.10 MX$808

10.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.99 SEK 305

$44.29 MX$760

-30.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 SEK 907

$80.1 MX$1,375

15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 SEK 1,043

$92.7 MX$1,591

14.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 SEK 8,275

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-20.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 SEK 5,956

$390 MX$6,698

55.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 SEK 13.5K

$2,149 MX$36.9K

-35.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 SEK 10.6K

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-15.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,179 SEK 41.1K

$4,001 MX$68.7K

4.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,874 SEK 28.2K

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-55.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,836 SEK 47.5K

$758 MX$13.0K

537.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

11.45

-72.05%

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

Last update for Marsta: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $842 in Marsta versus $1,063 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 538% 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 $69.0 in Marsta versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $276 – 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 32%, 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 $2,504 per month in Marsta and $1,899 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 $69.0 in Marsta and $47.00 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 $1,669 in Marsta and $1,266 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 $1,266, than in Marsta at $1,669. 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.