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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,792 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,779 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,765 in Helsingborg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 28% cheaper than Helsingborg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Helsingborg is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$15.52 SEK 147

-24.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$73.1 SEK 692

-43.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$10.57 SEK 100.0

0.66%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.4

$4.77 SEK 45.08

-26.21%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$2.91 SEK 27.51

-48.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$2.74 SEK 25.88

-64.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$7.27 SEK 68.8

-59.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$6.49 SEK 61.4

-31.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.45 SEK 13.70

-4.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.03

$2.46 SEK 23.27

-23.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$2.72 SEK 25.69

-39.71%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$4.80 SEK 45.42

-47.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$10.30 SEK 97.5

-19.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$11.84 SEK 112

-29.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$16.14 SEK 153

-33.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.47

$2.72 SEK 25.71

-4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$2.78 SEK 26.33

-47.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$3.27 SEK 30.91

-41.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$3.65 SEK 34.50

-43.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$1.48 SEK 14.00

20.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$1.42 SEK 13.43

54.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$1.97 SEK 18.66

-47.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$1.72 SEK 16.23

-37.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$7.15 SEK 67.6

-42.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$9.82 SEK 92.9

5.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$2.45 SEK 23.21

-30.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.97

$1.65 SEK 15.61

56.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$3.37 SEK 31.89

-84.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$66.9 SEK 633

-60.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$3.14 SEK 29.73

3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.50

$1.65 SEK 15.64

50.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$20.12 SEK 190

-83.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.93 SEK 18.25

-32.12%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$32.1K SEK 303.8K

-5.72%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$34.8K SEK 329.0K

-32.62%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$120 SEK 1,139

-31.15%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$28.86 SEK 273

-23.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$36.37 SEK 344

-19.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$39.47 SEK 373

30.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$21.99 SEK 208

-16.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$21.00 SEK 199

-75.86%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$147 SEK 1,389

36.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$4,137 SEK 39.1K

25.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$83.4 SEK 789

-55.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$44.13 SEK 418

-9.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$84.6 SEK 801

-7.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$112 SEK 1,057

-22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$818 SEK 7,739

18.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,168

$643 SEK 6,086

-27.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$1,389 SEK 13.1K

18.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$1,138 SEK 10.8K

7.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$3,336 SEK 31.6K

18.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$2,402 SEK 22.7K

170.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$3,072 SEK 29.1K

-78.38%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $818 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 363% 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 $340 – 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,792 in Helsingborg – roughly 38% apart. Helsingborg costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,688 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 153% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $147 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 $1,297, than in Helsingborg at $1,792. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $1,792 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.