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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,842 in Ostersund versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,858 in Ostersund versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,874 in Ostersund versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ostersund is roughly 45% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ostersund is 37% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.59 SEK 128

$11.87 MX$204

14.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 SEK 681

$42.90 MX$736

69.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 SEK 99.7

$10.65 MX$183

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$4.70 SEK 44.09

$3.45 MX$59.2

36.23%

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

$2.83 SEK 26.54

$1.50 MX$25.81

88.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 22.48

$0.95 MX$16.28

152.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 SEK 73.8

$3.03 MX$51.9

159.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 SEK 73.0

$4.61 MX$79.1

68.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SEK 14.00

$1.38 MX$23.61

7.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 SEK 29.29

$1.85 MX$31.70

68.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.11 SEK 47.92

$1.61 MX$27.65

217.39%

Eggs

$3.53 SEK 33.08

$2.59 MX$44.51

36.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.49 SEK 136

$8.26 MX$142

75.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 112

$8.37 MX$144

42.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 SEK 151

$10.66 MX$183

51.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 SEK 42.61

$2.63 MX$45.12

72.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.06

$1.49 MX$25.53

100.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 SEK 33.66

$1.92 MX$32.94

86.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 SEK 38.64

$2.09 MX$35.81

97.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 SEK 35.24

$1.86 MX$31.88

102.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 SEK 16.54

$2.26 MX$38.81

-22.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 SEK 24.25

$1.06 MX$18.23

143.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SEK 14.85

$1.09 MX$18.67

44.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.30 SEK 77.8

$4.15 MX$71.2

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.58 SEK 99.2

$10.39 MX$178

1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SEK 18.15

$1.72 MX$29.59

12.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SEK 17.84

$2.61 MX$44.85

-27.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 SEK 31.07

$0.54 MX$9.30

512.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 SEK 706

$26.94 MX$462

179.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 SEK 58.7

$3.13 MX$53.7

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.39

$2.51 MX$43.09

-34.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.9 SEK 581

$3.15 MX$54.1

1866.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 SEK 19.54

$1.27 MX$21.88

63.78%

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

$32.7K SEK 306.9K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

7.72%

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

$33.9K SEK 318.2K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

43.96%

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

$113 SEK 1,063

$83.0 MX$1,425

36.52%

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

$28.49 SEK 267

$22.71 MX$390

25.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.65 SEK 344

$29.46 MX$506

24.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 SEK 379

$51.0 MX$875

-20.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.07 SEK 235

$18.33 MX$315

36.77%

Cinema Ticket

$15.37 SEK 144

$4.93 MX$84.5

211.76%

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

$129 SEK 1,212

$197 MX$3,386

-34.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,184 SEK 39.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-20.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 SEK 872

$36.90 MX$633

151.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.09 SEK 376

$39.89 MX$685

0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 SEK 900

$80.0 MX$1,373

19.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 SEK 1,429

$89.5 MX$1,536

70.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 SEK 7,741

$956 MX$16.4K

-13.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 6,048

$477 MX$8,189

35.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 SEK 13.0K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-15.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 SEK 9,966

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-13.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,359 SEK 40.9K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

11.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,949 SEK 27.7K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-54.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 Ostersund: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $825 in Ostersund and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Ostersund vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $250 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,762 in Ostersund and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $825 in Ostersund versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,842 per month in Ostersund versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 180% less than in Ostersund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,842 in Ostersund, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ostersund. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ostersund, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ostersund and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Ostersund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.