๐A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,795 in Hรถllviken, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,749 in Hรถllviken, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,703 in Hรถllviken, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen is about 28% cheaper than Hรถllviken, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Hรถllviken is 35% above โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73MX$202
$13.91SEKย 130
-15.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78MX$719
$72.9SEKย 682
-42.70%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.41MX$179
$10.47SEKย 97.9
-0.57%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.1
$4.73SEKย 44.25
-23.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46MX$25.06
$2.73SEKย 25.57
-46.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97MX$16.70
$2.20SEKย 20.58
-55.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.92MX$50.3
$7.44SEKย 69.6
-60.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62MX$79.5
$6.39SEKย 59.8
-27.70%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.59
$1.51SEKย 14.14
-5.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90MX$32.70
$2.38SEKย 22.26
-20.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.57MX$26.95
$2.57SEKย 24.08
-38.91%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.34
$4.41SEKย 41.21
-40.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.44MX$145
$10.38SEKย 97.1
-18.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.58MX$148
$11.71SEKย 110
-26.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.00MX$189
$16.13SEKย 151
-31.80%
Apples(1kg)
$2.70MX$46.51
$2.81SEKย 26.27
-3.91%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$25.92
$2.85SEKย 26.64
-47.02%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.91MX$32.93
$3.26SEKย 30.50
-41.41%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.37
$3.80SEKย 35.50
-42.89%
Potato(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.25
$1.42SEKย 13.27
31.69%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.43
$1.40SEKย 13.08
59.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.60
$2.13SEKย 19.93
-49.30%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.47
$1.56SEKย 14.59
-31.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16MX$71.6
$7.50SEKย 70.2
-44.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.29MX$177
$9.62SEKย 90.0
6.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$28.95
$2.34SEKย 21.86
-28.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53MX$43.59
$2.74SEKย 25.68
-7.66%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.55MX$9.53
$3.35SEKย 31.30
-83.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.29MX$452
$73.1SEKย 684
-64.05%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.20MX$55.0
$6.63SEKย 62.0
-51.73%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.46MX$42.37
$1.90SEKย 17.79
29.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.20MX$55.0
$52.6SEKย 492
-93.92%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32MX$22.72
$2.01SEKย 18.77
-34.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2KMX$518.8K
$32.3KSEKย 302.5K
-6.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$402.5K
$34.2KSEKย 319.7K
-31.54%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.4MX$1,400
$118SEKย 1,103
-30.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.41MX$386
$28.59SEKย 267
-21.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.97MX$516
$36.60SEKย 342
-18.11%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.6MX$887
$39.75SEKย 372
29.71%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$316
$25.35SEKย 237
-27.46%
Cinema Ticket
$5.16MX$88.9
$18.24SEKย 171
-71.71%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$202MX$3,471
$146SEKย 1,369
37.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,311MX$91.4K
$4,188SEKย 39.2K
26.80%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.61MX$613
$82.1SEKย 768
-56.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.37MX$695
$43.22SEKย 404
-6.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.6MX$1,353
$84.8SEKย 793
-7.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.9MX$1,495
$115SEKย 1,073
-24.25%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$950MX$16.3K
$824SEKย 7,710
15.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$478MX$8,227
$651SEKย 6,091
-26.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,621MX$27.9K
$1,399SEKย 13.1K
15.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,223MX$21.0K
$1,095SEKย 10.2K
11.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,009MX$69.0K
$4,634SEKย 43.3K
-13.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,473MX$111.4K
$2,763SEKย 25.8K
134.30%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Hรถllviken
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$673MX$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
๐ 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.
๐A 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared