Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Boden

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,770 in Boden, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Boden
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Boden Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Boden

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,770

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Boden

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Boden actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,770 in Boden, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Boden $1,770

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,754 in Boden, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Boden $2,754

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,739 in Boden, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Boden $3,739

Playa del Carmen is about 32% cheaper than Boden, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Boden is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$205

$18.64 SEK 183

-41.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$815

$74.7 SEK 733

-41.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$221

$10.01 SEK 98.3

17.68%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.6

$4.35 SEK 42.70

-12.41%

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

$1.28 MX$24.10

$1.59 SEK 15.66

-19.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.71

$2.22 SEK 21.76

-64.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.5

$7.22 SEK 70.9

-56.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.7

$6.50 SEK 63.9

-24.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.43

$1.52 SEK 14.93

-7.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.66

$2.77 SEK 27.19

-19.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.64

$3.39 SEK 33.30

-58.11%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.41

$4.04 SEK 39.71

-37.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$137

$12.16 SEK 119

-40.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$145

$12.15 SEK 119

-36.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$239

$17.39 SEK 171

-27.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.3

$2.99 SEK 29.37

-7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.71

$2.56 SEK 25.17

-46.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.94

$3.04 SEK 29.83

-16.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.90

$4.21 SEK 41.39

-49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.43

$1.60 SEK 15.68

21.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.44

$1.63 SEK 16.02

15.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.55

$2.23 SEK 21.91

-48.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.16

$1.44 SEK 14.10

-18.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.7

$10.29 SEK 101

-58.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$187

$10.30 SEK 101

-3.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.76

$1.98 SEK 19.49

-20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.2

$2.21 SEK 21.66

20.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.40

$3.36 SEK 33.00

-83.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$500

$71.3 SEK 700

-62.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.4

$5.83 SEK 57.2

-14.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.6

$1.51 SEK 14.79

120.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$101

$53.9 SEK 529

-90.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.14

$1.93 SEK 18.98

-25.39%

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

$20.7K MX$388.4K

$25.4K SEK 249.3K

-18.59%

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

$23.5K MX$441.0K

$32.6K SEK 319.8K

-27.94%

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

$84.8 MX$1,594

$103 SEK 1,010

-17.59%

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

$23.41 MX$440

$25.25 SEK 248

-7.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$539

$39.16 SEK 385

-26.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,072

$57.8 SEK 567

-1.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$543

$20.12 SEK 198

43.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.6

$12.48 SEK 123

-58.81%

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

$207 MX$3,882

$158 SEK 1,554

30.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.8K

$5,245 SEK 51.5K

-25.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$815

$98.7 SEK 969

-56.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$779

$40.77 SEK 400

1.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,394

$91.3 SEK 897

-18.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,677

$140 SEK 1,374

-36.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.4K

$894 SEK 8,779

9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,157

$604 SEK 5,935

-36.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$32.1K

$1,367 SEK 13.4K

24.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.2K

$994 SEK 9,757

8.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.1K

$4,214 SEK 41.4K

-6.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.7K

$2,804 SEK 27.5K

119.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.8K

$3,822 SEK 37.5K

-80.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.4

236.76%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Boden: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Boden

$604 34.2% 58.7% $224

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Boden

$355 20% 39.2% $100

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Boden

$296 16.7% 46.1% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Boden

$167 9.5% 22.3% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Boden

$167 9.4% 49.3% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Boden

$83 4.7% 22.9% $15

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Boden

$98 5.5% 94.5% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Boden. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Boden are about 5.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $75 in Boden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $355 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇸🇪 Boden

🕒 Local time

22:54 10:54 PM

04:54 4:54 AM

6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

18,680

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

100 SEK = 10.18 USD

100 SEK = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.82 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.12 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Boden 8,740 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Boden

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Boden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Boden is pricier by about 47%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,655 in Boden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $894 in Boden. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,770 in Boden. That makes Playa del Carmen about 32% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 63% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Boden at $1,770. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,770 in Boden. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.