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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,790 in Höllviken, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,743 in Höllviken, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,696 in Höllviken, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Höllviken is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Höllviken
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$13.70 SEK 127
-12.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$74.0 SEK 688
-42.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$10.72 SEK 99.7
-1.21%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$4.72 SEK 43.93
-23.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$2.72 SEK 25.32
-45.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$2.12 SEK 19.69
-55.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$7.55 SEK 70.2
-59.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$6.41 SEK 59.6
-30.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Höllviken
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.53 SEK 14.21
-6.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$2.37 SEK 22.08
-20.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$2.72 SEK 25.27
-40.07%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$4.32 SEK 40.15
-38.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$10.21 SEK 94.9
-19.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$11.75 SEK 109
-29.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$16.20 SEK 151
-31.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$2.74 SEK 25.45
-3.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$2.82 SEK 26.23
-46.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$3.26 SEK 30.32
-38.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$3.81 SEK 35.44
-45.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$1.44 SEK 13.37
24.31%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$1.43 SEK 13.28
52.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$2.05 SEK 19.05
-47.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$1.62 SEK 15.09
-35.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$7.32 SEK 68.1
-45.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$10.64 SEK 99.0
-4.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$2.36 SEK 21.98
-26.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$2.65 SEK 24.67
-5.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Höllviken
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$3.31 SEK 30.76
-84.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
$74.6 SEK 694
-63.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$6.61 SEK 61.5
-52.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$1.82 SEK 16.93
31.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$52.3 SEK 486
-94.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$1.98 SEK 18.46
-35.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$32.6K SEK 303.5K
-5.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$33.5K SEK 311.9K
-30.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Höllviken
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$118 SEK 1,093
-30.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$28.46 SEK 265
-21.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$35.49 SEK 330
-16.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Höllviken
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$40.79 SEK 379
27.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
$25.25 SEK 235
-26.06%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$17.84 SEK 166
-72.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Höllviken
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$148 SEK 1,377
33.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$4,184 SEK 38.9K
26.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Höllviken
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$82.2 SEK 764
-55.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$43.88 SEK 408
-8.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$87.2 SEK 811
-8.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$112 SEK 1,044
-20.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Höllviken
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$834 SEK 7,754
15.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$647 SEK 6,017
-28.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$1,367 SEK 12.7K
16.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$1,086 SEK 10.1K
11.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
$3,727 SEK 34.7K
5.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
$2,980 SEK 27.7K
116.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Höllviken
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
-
-
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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Höllviken: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $834 in Höllviken. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.0 in Höllviken. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $341 – 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 Höllviken: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Höllviken cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Höllviken 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,686 in Höllviken. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – 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 Höllviken?
Groceries cost about 36% more in Höllviken, 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 Höllviken?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $74.0 in Höllviken. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Höllviken?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Höllviken at $1,790. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Höllviken it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Höllviken more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Höllviken?
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.
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, Höllviken makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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