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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,638 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,559 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,481 in Bålsta.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 21% less than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Bålsta is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$13.05 SEK 121

-8.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$69.9 SEK 650

-38.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.48 SEK 88.1

11.71%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.28 SEK 39.80

-15.42%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.79 SEK 25.97

-47.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.41 SEK 22.38

-61.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$7.19 SEK 66.9

-57.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.40 SEK 68.8

-39.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.62 SEK 15.03

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.15 SEK 20.03

-12.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.65 SEK 33.91

-55.34%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.71 SEK 34.54

-28.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.53 SEK 107

-28.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$11.81 SEK 110

-29.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.55 SEK 107

-3.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.71 SEK 25.23

-2.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.57 SEK 23.94

-41.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.30 SEK 21.43

-13.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.96 SEK 27.53

-29.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.52 SEK 14.10

17.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.26 SEK 11.71

73.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.60 SEK 14.84

-32.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.03 SEK 9.54

0.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.32 SEK 68.1

-45.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.76 SEK 100

-5.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.55 SEK 14.41

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.98 SEK 18.45

26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.41 SEK 31.70

-84.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$72.4 SEK 673

-62.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$6.05 SEK 56.2

-48.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.24 SEK 11.52

93.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$83.3 SEK 775

-96.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.92 SEK 17.84

-33.85%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.8K SEK 304.6K

-5.72%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.8K SEK 323.3K

-32.93%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$52.7 SEK 490

55.62%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$20.59 SEK 192

9.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$37.27 SEK 347

-20.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$39.89 SEK 371

30.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$24.82 SEK 231

-24.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$13.91 SEK 129

-64.27%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$125 SEK 1,160

58.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$747 SEK 6,948

605.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$72.6 SEK 675

-49.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$10.72 SEK 99.7

273.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$83.2 SEK 774

-3.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$118 SEK 1,095

-24.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$855 SEK 7,952

12.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$656 SEK 6,097

-29.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,404 SEK 13.1K

13.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,078 SEK 10.0K

12.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$4,367 SEK 40.6K

-9.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$2,982 SEK 27.7K

116.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$4,261 SEK 39.6K

-83.09%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $855 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 491% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $70.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 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 27% 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 491% 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $855 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,638 in Bålsta – a 27% 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 168% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,638 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 $1,287 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 27% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.