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 $1,739 per month in Marsta vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,707 per month in Marsta vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,675 per month in Marsta vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Marsta costs about 34% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Marsta sits 30% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.93 SEK 121

$11.73 MX$202

10.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.6 SEK 632

$41.78 MX$719

61.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 SEK 100

$10.41 MX$179

3.07%

Cappuccino

$4.68 SEK 43.77

$3.61 MX$62.1

29.64%

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

$2.07 SEK 19.38

$1.46 MX$25.06

41.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 SEK 17.39

$0.97 MX$16.70

91.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.52 SEK 70.4

$2.92 MX$50.3

157.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 SEK 69.4

$4.62 MX$79.5

60.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 SEK 17.29

$1.43 MX$24.59

29.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 SEK 28.79

$1.90 MX$32.70

62.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.93 SEK 36.79

$1.57 MX$26.95

150.32%

Eggs

$3.79 SEK 35.42

$2.64 MX$45.34

43.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 SEK 130

$8.44 MX$145

64.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 SEK 87.3

$8.58 MX$148

8.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.40 SEK 144

$11.00 MX$189

40.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 SEK 33.01

$2.70 MX$46.51

30.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 SEK 24.88

$1.51 MX$25.92

76.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 SEK 29.30

$1.91 MX$32.93

63.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 SEK 36.90

$2.17 MX$37.37

81.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.19

$1.87 MX$32.25

-18.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 14.60

$2.23 MX$38.43

-30.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 SEK 24.99

$1.08 MX$18.60

147.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 SEK 15.62

$1.07 MX$18.47

56.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.31 SEK 68.4

$4.16 MX$71.6

75.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 SEK 98.1

$10.29 MX$177

1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SEK 16.59

$1.68 MX$28.95

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 17.62

$2.53 MX$43.59

-25.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.11 SEK 38.49

$0.55 MX$9.53

647.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.6 SEK 922

$26.29 MX$452

274.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.14 SEK 114

$3.20 MX$55.0

279.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 14.86

$2.46 MX$42.37

-35.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.9 SEK 551

$3.20 MX$55.0

1739.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.01

$1.32 MX$22.72

46.21%

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

$32.2K SEK 301.5K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

6.90%

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

$34.8K SEK 326.0K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

48.95%

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

$88.2 SEK 825

$81.4 MX$1,400

8.44%

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

$28.33 SEK 265

$22.41 MX$386

26.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.86 SEK 345

$29.97 MX$516

22.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.01 SEK 271

$51.6 MX$887

-43.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.52 SEK 239

$18.39 MX$316

38.77%

Cinema Ticket

$16.10 SEK 151

$5.16 MX$88.9

212.02%

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

$146 SEK 1,363

$202 MX$3,471

-27.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$728 SEK 6,814

$5,311 MX$91.4K

-86.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 SEK 749

$35.61 MX$613

124.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.34 SEK 415

$40.37 MX$695

9.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 SEK 930

$78.6 MX$1,353

26.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 SEK 980

$86.9 MX$1,495

20.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 SEK 7,969

$950 MX$16.3K

-10.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 SEK 6,145

$478 MX$8,227

37.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 SEK 13.0K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-14.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 SEK 10.1K

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-12.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,294 SEK 40.2K

$4,009 MX$69.0K

7.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,015 SEK 28.2K

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-53.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,972 SEK 46.5K

$673 MX$11.6K

638.79%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $852 in Marsta versus $950 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 639% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $254 – 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 34%, 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 $2,609 per month in Marsta and $1,941 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 $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 $1,739 in Marsta and $1,294 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 $1,294, than in Marsta at $1,739. 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.