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: $1,853 in Ostersund versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,860 in Ostersund versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,867 in Ostersund versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ostersund is roughly 44% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ostersund is 38% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.21 SEK 123

$11.94 MX$209

10.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 SEK 685

$42.75 MX$748

72.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 SEK 98.6

$10.59 MX$185

0.09%

Cappuccino

$4.50 SEK 41.88

$3.62 MX$63.4

24.31%

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

$2.79 SEK 25.92

$1.47 MX$25.69

89.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.16

$0.94 MX$16.51

164.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SEK 73.0

$3.09 MX$54.1

154.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 SEK 69.0

$4.46 MX$78.0

66.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.27

$1.43 MX$24.94

6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 SEK 28.67

$1.88 MX$32.97

63.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.10 SEK 47.47

$1.63 MX$28.50

212.88%

Eggs

$3.61 SEK 33.61

$2.64 MX$46.26

36.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.49 SEK 135

$8.21 MX$144

76.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 SEK 109

$8.29 MX$145

41.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 SEK 149

$11.10 MX$194

43.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 SEK 42.24

$2.65 MX$46.40

71.32%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 27.89

$1.50 MX$26.26

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 SEK 34.65

$1.99 MX$34.79

87.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 SEK 39.00

$2.08 MX$36.33

101.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 SEK 34.47

$1.79 MX$31.29

107.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 SEK 17.18

$2.18 MX$38.09

-15.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.44

$1.08 MX$18.84

143.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SEK 14.19

$1.04 MX$18.15

47.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.20 SEK 76.3

$3.97 MX$69.5

106.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 SEK 103

$10.20 MX$179

8.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.29

$1.73 MX$30.22

13.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 18.10

$2.50 MX$43.71

-22.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 30.53

$0.52 MX$9.07

530.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 SEK 694

$26.97 MX$472

176.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 SEK 56.9

$3.14 MX$55.0

94.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 SEK 15.49

$2.40 MX$42.04

-30.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 SEK 572

$3.09 MX$54.0

1890.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 SEK 19.44

$1.27 MX$22.28

64.57%

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

$32.8K SEK 304.6K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

6.07%

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

$34.4K SEK 319.9K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

47.51%

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

$115 SEK 1,065

$82.0 MX$1,435

39.69%

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

$28.51 SEK 265

$22.45 MX$393

26.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.11 SEK 345

$29.66 MX$519

25.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.73 SEK 369

$51.9 MX$908

-23.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.92 SEK 232

$18.67 MX$327

33.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.69 SEK 146

$4.97 MX$87.0

215.69%

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

$129 SEK 1,202

$198 MX$3,462

-34.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,151 SEK 38.6K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-21.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 SEK 878

$36.34 MX$636

159.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.27 SEK 384

$40.05 MX$701

3.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 SEK 888

$79.9 MX$1,398

19.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,418

$88.9 MX$1,555

71.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 SEK 7,715

$963 MX$16.9K

-13.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 SEK 6,012

$465 MX$8,133

39.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,420 SEK 13.2K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-11.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 SEK 9,872

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-12.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,517 SEK 42.0K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

14.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,965 SEK 27.6K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-54.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Ostersund and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Ostersund vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $251 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 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,780 in Ostersund and $1,930 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: $830 in Ostersund versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,853 per month in Ostersund versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 44% 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 177% less than in Ostersund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,853 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 44% less than in Ostersund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.