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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,626 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,547 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,468 in Bålsta.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 20% less than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Bålsta is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$12.98 SEK 121

-9.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$68.9 SEK 644

-39.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$9.65 SEK 90.2

7.88%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$4.10 SEK 38.37

-11.95%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$2.79 SEK 26.08

-47.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$2.50 SEK 23.39

-61.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$7.26 SEK 68.0

-59.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$7.54 SEK 70.6

-38.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.61 SEK 15.02

-11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$2.09 SEK 19.60

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$3.59 SEK 33.62

-56.27%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$3.74 SEK 34.99

-29.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$11.77 SEK 110

-28.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$11.86 SEK 111

-27.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$11.72 SEK 110

-6.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.57 SEK 24.06

5.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.66 SEK 24.85

-43.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.35 SEK 21.95

-18.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$2.87 SEK 26.83

-24.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.55 SEK 14.48

20.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.30 SEK 12.18

71.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.61 SEK 15.02

-32.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.03 SEK 9.63

3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$7.47 SEK 69.8

-44.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$10.36 SEK 96.9

-0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.54 SEK 14.38

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.92 SEK 17.91

31.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$3.36 SEK 31.47

-83.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$72.6 SEK 679

-63.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$6.13 SEK 57.4

-47.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.24 SEK 11.64

98.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$80.6 SEK 754

-96.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$2.01 SEK 18.82

-34.33%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$32.3K SEK 302.2K

-6.68%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$33.6K SEK 314.7K

-30.47%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$51.8 SEK 484

57.17%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$21.10 SEK 197

6.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$36.03 SEK 337

-16.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$40.88 SEK 382

26.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$25.03 SEK 234

-26.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$13.44 SEK 126

-61.61%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$127 SEK 1,191

58.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$735 SEK 6,872

622.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$73.2 SEK 685

-51.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$10.66 SEK 99.7

278.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$83.5 SEK 781

-5.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$116 SEK 1,087

-25.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$856 SEK 8,008

10.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$654 SEK 6,117

-26.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,387 SEK 13.0K

16.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$1,065 SEK 9,966

14.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$3,989 SEK 37.3K

0.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$3,268 SEK 30.6K

98.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$4,094 SEK 38.3K

-83.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

280.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $856 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 508% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $69.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $307 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Bålsta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bålsta earns 508% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $856 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,626 in Bålsta – a 26% 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 176% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,626 in Bålsta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bålsta. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,294 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Bålsta 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 26% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.