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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,795 in Hรถllviken, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,749 in Hรถllviken, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,703 in Hรถllviken, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Hรถllviken is 35% above โ€“ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$202
$13.91 SEKย 130
-15.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$719
$72.9 SEKย 682
-42.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.41 MX$179
$10.47 SEKย 97.9
-0.57%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.1
$4.73 SEKย 44.25
-23.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 MX$25.06
$2.73 SEKย 25.57
-46.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$16.70
$2.20 SEKย 20.58
-55.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 MX$50.3
$7.44 SEKย 69.6
-60.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62 MX$79.5
$6.39 SEKย 59.8
-27.70%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.59
$1.51 SEKย 14.14
-5.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 MX$32.70
$2.38 SEKย 22.26
-20.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$26.95
$2.57 SEKย 24.08
-38.91%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$45.34
$4.41 SEKย 41.21
-40.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.44 MX$145
$10.38 SEKย 97.1
-18.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.58 MX$148
$11.71 SEKย 110
-26.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.00 MX$189
$16.13 SEKย 151
-31.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 MX$46.51
$2.81 SEKย 26.27
-3.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$25.92
$2.85 SEKย 26.64
-47.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.91 MX$32.93
$3.26 SEKย 30.50
-41.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.37
$3.80 SEKย 35.50
-42.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.25
$1.42 SEKย 13.27
31.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.43
$1.40 SEKย 13.08
59.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.60
$2.13 SEKย 19.93
-49.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.47
$1.56 SEKย 14.59
-31.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16 MX$71.6
$7.50 SEKย 70.2
-44.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.29 MX$177
$9.62 SEKย 90.0
6.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$28.95
$2.34 SEKย 21.86
-28.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.59
$2.74 SEKย 25.68
-7.66%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$9.53
$3.35 SEKย 31.30
-83.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.29 MX$452
$73.1 SEKย 684
-64.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$6.63 SEKย 62.0
-51.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.37
$1.90 SEKย 17.79
29.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$52.6 SEKย 492
-93.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$22.72
$2.01 SEKย 18.77
-34.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$518.8K
$32.3K SEKย 302.5K
-6.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$402.5K
$34.2K SEKย 319.7K
-31.54%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.4 MX$1,400
$118 SEKย 1,103
-30.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.41 MX$386
$28.59 SEKย 267
-21.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.97 MX$516
$36.60 SEKย 342
-18.11%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$887
$39.75 SEKย 372
29.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$316
$25.35 SEKย 237
-27.46%
Cinema Ticket
$5.16 MX$88.9
$18.24 SEKย 171
-71.71%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$202 MX$3,471
$146 SEKย 1,369
37.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,311 MX$91.4K
$4,188 SEKย 39.2K
26.80%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.61 MX$613
$82.1 SEKย 768
-56.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.37 MX$695
$43.22 SEKย 404
-6.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.6 MX$1,353
$84.8 SEKย 793
-7.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.9 MX$1,495
$115 SEKย 1,073
-24.25%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$950 MX$16.3K
$824 SEKย 7,710
15.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$478 MX$8,227
$651 SEKย 6,091
-26.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 MX$27.9K
$1,399 SEKย 13.1K
15.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 MX$21.0K
$1,095 SEKย 10.2K
11.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,009 MX$69.0K
$4,634 SEKย 43.3K
-13.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,473 MX$111.4K
$2,763 SEKย 25.8K
134.30%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$673 MX$11.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.66
145.06%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Hรถllviken: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $824 in Hรถllviken. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $73.0 in Hรถllviken. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $339 โ€“ 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 Hรถllviken: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hรถllviken cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ€“ Hรถllviken is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,693 in Hรถllviken. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Hรถllviken?
Groceries cost about 34% more in Hรถllviken, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Hรถllviken?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $73.0 in Hรถllviken. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Hรถllviken?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Hรถllviken at $1,795. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hรถllviken it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Hรถllviken more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen โ€“ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Hรถllviken?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hรถllviken makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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