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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,811 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,820 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,829 in Helsingborg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 31% cheaper than Helsingborg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Helsingborg is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$15.90 SEK 154

-24.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$73.3 SEK 709

-42.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.57 SEK 102

1.70%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.65 SEK 45.05

-24.73%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.83 SEK 27.43

-48.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$2.80 SEK 27.07

-68.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.30 SEK 70.6

-59.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$6.15 SEK 59.5

-26.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.53 SEK 14.79

-6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.39 SEK 23.11

-23.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.71 SEK 26.22

-42.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.84 SEK 46.83

-48.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.28 SEK 99.5

-19.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$11.59 SEK 112

-27.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$16.10 SEK 156

-33.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.82 SEK 27.35

-7.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.81 SEK 27.18

-48.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.20 SEK 30.97

-38.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.83 SEK 37.03

-45.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.47 SEK 14.28

25.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.48 SEK 14.34

46.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.05 SEK 19.86

-49.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.72 SEK 16.63

-37.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$7.14 SEK 69.1

-42.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$9.41 SEK 91.1

8.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.33 SEK 22.60

-27.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.66 SEK 16.11

52.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.28 SEK 31.77

-84.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$65.3 SEK 632

-60.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.13 SEK 30.31

3.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.58 SEK 15.27

52.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$20.35 SEK 197

-84.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.91 SEK 18.46

-30.89%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$32.5K SEK 314.3K

-8.54%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$34.2K SEK 331.5K

-30.90%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$117 SEK 1,133

-29.92%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$28.69 SEK 278

-20.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$36.56 SEK 354

-17.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$38.59 SEK 374

34.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$22.08 SEK 214

-16.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$20.96 SEK 203

-76.24%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$148 SEK 1,429

33.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,146 SEK 40.1K

28.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$82.2 SEK 796

-56.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$43.98 SEK 426

-8.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$84.3 SEK 817

-6.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$115 SEK 1,111

-22.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$827 SEK 8,004

14.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$653 SEK 6,325

-27.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,363 SEK 13.2K

20.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,152 SEK 11.1K

5.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$3,169 SEK 30.7K

28.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,342 SEK 22.7K

176.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$2,900 SEK 28.1K

-77.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.66

145.06%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $827 in Helsingborg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 343% higher in Helsingborg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $73.0 in Helsingborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $339 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Helsingborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $1,811 in Helsingborg – roughly 44% apart. Helsingborg costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,717 in Helsingborg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 151% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $148 in Helsingborg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Helsingborg at $1,811. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Helsingborg 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $1,811 in Helsingborg. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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