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: $1,843 in Ostersund versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,834 in Ostersund versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,825 in Ostersund versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ostersund is roughly 46% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ostersund is 38% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.50 SEK 128

$11.72 MX$203

15.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 SEK 689

$41.89 MX$725

73.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 SEK 102

$10.51 MX$182

2.09%

Cappuccino

$4.74 SEK 45.03

$3.59 MX$62.0

32.03%

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

$2.75 SEK 26.12

$1.51 MX$26.10

82.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.81

$0.92 MX$15.83

172.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 SEK 75.8

$2.96 MX$51.2

169.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.73 SEK 73.4

$4.41 MX$76.3

75.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SEK 14.17

$1.40 MX$24.16

6.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 SEK 28.60

$1.88 MX$32.60

60.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.89 SEK 46.48

$1.56 MX$26.97

213.46%

Eggs

$3.42 SEK 32.53

$2.61 MX$45.14

31.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 SEK 137

$8.32 MX$144

73.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.85 SEK 113

$8.35 MX$145

41.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.20 SEK 154

$10.86 MX$188

49.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 SEK 41.47

$2.71 MX$46.93

61.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 SEK 28.00

$1.51 MX$26.04

95.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 35.78

$1.87 MX$32.41

101.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 SEK 41.02

$2.19 MX$37.89

97.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 SEK 35.69

$1.86 MX$32.14

102.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 SEK 16.85

$2.23 MX$38.59

-20.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 SEK 23.88

$1.07 MX$18.48

134.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 14.86

$1.09 MX$18.79

43.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 SEK 77.7

$4.19 MX$72.4

95.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.11 SEK 96.0

$10.43 MX$180

-3.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.71

$1.66 MX$28.68

18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 18.84

$2.61 MX$45.19

-24.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 SEK 32.73

$0.54 MX$9.37

538.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 SEK 695

$26.16 MX$453

179.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 SEK 61.3

$3.08 MX$53.3

109.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SEK 15.68

$2.40 MX$41.61

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.8 SEK 596

$3.13 MX$54.1

1905.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 SEK 19.64

$1.31 MX$22.69

58.02%

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

$32.9K SEK 313.0K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

10.54%

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

$34.2K SEK 325.3K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

46.82%

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

$116 SEK 1,101

$81.3 MX$1,406

42.64%

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

$29.20 SEK 277

$22.56 MX$390

29.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.09 SEK 352

$30.05 MX$520

23.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.91 SEK 389

$52.9 MX$915

-22.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.43 SEK 242

$18.39 MX$318

38.28%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 SEK 145

$4.92 MX$85.1

209.76%

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

$129 SEK 1,227

$201 MX$3,474

-35.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,066 SEK 38.6K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-21.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.5 SEK 916

$35.92 MX$622

168.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.03 SEK 380

$40.13 MX$694

-0.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 SEK 929

$79.7 MX$1,379

22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 SEK 1,411

$86.5 MX$1,496

71.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 SEK 7,895

$978 MX$16.9K

-15.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 SEK 6,336

$470 MX$8,140

41.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 SEK 13.3K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-14.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 SEK 10.3K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-10.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,798 SEK 36.1K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-3.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,909 SEK 27.6K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-55.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $831 in Ostersund and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72.0 in Ostersund vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $252 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 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,764 in Ostersund and $1,890 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: $831 in Ostersund versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,843 per month in Ostersund versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 46% 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,843 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 46% less than in Ostersund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.