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: $1,776 in Ostersund versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,833 in Ostersund versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,890 in Ostersund versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ostersund is roughly 40% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ostersund is 30% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.02 SEK 138

$11.60 MX$200

20.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 SEK 773

$47.11 MX$812

66.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.49 SEK 103

$11.88 MX$205

-11.70%

Cappuccino

$4.84 SEK 47.68

$3.98 MX$68.6

21.61%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.68

$1.43 MX$24.60

96.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SEK 22.13

$0.82 MX$14.22

174.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 SEK 72.6

$3.19 MX$55.0

130.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 SEK 70.0

$6.79 MX$117

4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 SEK 15.18

$1.68 MX$28.89

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 SEK 29.36

$2.20 MX$37.88

35.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.93 SEK 48.60

$1.71 MX$29.45

188.30%

Eggs

$3.46 SEK 34.08

$2.74 MX$47.26

26.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 SEK 141

$9.58 MX$165

49.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 SEK 117

$9.01 MX$155

31.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 SEK 155

$12.81 MX$221

22.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 SEK 43.94

$2.89 MX$49.81

54.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 SEK 29.13

$1.50 MX$25.81

97.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 SEK 34.97

$2.15 MX$37.03

65.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 SEK 42.21

$2.26 MX$38.96

89.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 SEK 16.23

$1.98 MX$34.15

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.94

$1.99 MX$34.30

-18.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 SEK 23.53

$1.23 MX$21.28

94.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 SEK 15.20

$1.20 MX$20.63

28.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.08 SEK 79.6

$4.55 MX$78.5

77.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 SEK 104

$10.37 MX$179

1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 19.65

$1.62 MX$27.91

22.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SEK 21.99

$2.88 MX$49.67

-22.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 33.55

$0.60 MX$10.35

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.2 SEK 801

$28.80 MX$497

182.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 SEK 61.7

$5.39 MX$92.9

16.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 SEK 16.96

$3.73 MX$64.3

-53.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.2 SEK 603

$5.77 MX$99.5

960.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 SEK 18.55

$1.54 MX$26.48

22.08%

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

$34.9K SEK 344.2K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

54.90%

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

$34.3K SEK 338.2K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

31.73%

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

$107 SEK 1,054

$91.4 MX$1,576

17.08%

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

$27.13 SEK 267

$25.20 MX$435

7.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.47 SEK 389

$31.24 MX$539

26.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 SEK 391

$67.2 MX$1,159

-40.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.20 SEK 258

$29.11 MX$502

-10.00%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 SEK 150

$4.86 MX$83.8

214.20%

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

$131 SEK 1,291

$224 MX$3,856

-41.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,237 SEK 51.6K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

23.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.6 SEK 932

$47.10 MX$812

100.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.68 SEK 430

$44.29 MX$764

-1.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SEK 965

$80.1 MX$1,381

22.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 SEK 1,424

$92.7 MX$1,598

55.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SEK 8,316

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-20.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 SEK 5,955

$390 MX$6,728

54.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,420 SEK 14.0K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-33.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 SEK 10.5K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-16.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,145 SEK 40.8K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

3.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,859 SEK 28.2K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-56.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.42

11.45

-70.13%

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

Last update for Ostersund: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $844 in Ostersund and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Ostersund vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $276 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,664 in Ostersund and $1,899 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: $844 in Ostersund versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,776 per month in Ostersund versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 40% 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 182% less than in Ostersund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,776 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 40% less than in Ostersund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.