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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,862 in Lidingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,750 in Lidingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,637 in Lidingo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 32% cheaper than Lidingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Lidingo is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$10.91 SEK 104

7.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$55.4 SEK 530

-24.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.60 SEK 82.2

22.21%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$3.21 SEK 30.75

11.84%

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

$1.51 MX$26.13

$3.23 SEK 30.94

-53.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$2.61 SEK 24.95

-64.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$5.33 SEK 51.0

-44.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$4.69 SEK 44.89

-5.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$1.61 SEK 15.38

-13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$2.62 SEK 25.05

-28.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$3.83 SEK 36.62

-59.27%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.20

$3.83 SEK 36.65

-31.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.91 SEK 114

-30.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$12.27 SEK 117

-31.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$18.84 SEK 180

-42.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$3.37 SEK 32.21

-19.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$2.56 SEK 24.50

-41.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$3.46 SEK 33.05

-45.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.94

$3.72 SEK 35.63

-41.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.18

$2.08 SEK 19.94

-10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$2.02 SEK 19.33

10.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$2.91 SEK 27.88

-63.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$1.84 SEK 17.58

-40.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.5

$7.89 SEK 75.4

-46.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$12.51 SEK 120

-16.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$1.45 SEK 13.91

14.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

$2.27 SEK 21.68

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$3.47 SEK 33.16

-84.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$73.1 SEK 699

-64.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.80 SEK 36.36

-18.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.66

$1.60 SEK 15.34

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$85.3 SEK 816

-96.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$1.97 SEK 18.87

-33.50%

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

$29.8K MX$516.4K

$32.1K SEK 306.7K

-7.02%

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$34.8K SEK 332.8K

-32.96%

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$191 SEK 1,823

-57.34%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$29.33 SEK 281

-23.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$41.18 SEK 394

-27.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$39.80 SEK 381

32.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$24.85 SEK 238

-26.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.2

$19.33 SEK 185

-74.55%

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

$201 MX$3,479

$156 SEK 1,488

29.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$4,159 SEK 39.8K

24.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$94.4 SEK 903

-61.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$41.92 SEK 401

-4.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$92.8 SEK 888

-14.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$126 SEK 1,207

-31.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$846 SEK 8,091

15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

$657 SEK 6,288

-28.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,378 SEK 13.2K

19.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$1,077 SEK 10.3K

11.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

$4,031 SEK 38.6K

-1.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

$2,872 SEK 27.5K

130.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,581 SEK 24.7K

-73.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.87

134.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lidingo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $846 in Lidingo. 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 281% higher in Lidingo, 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 $55.0 in Lidingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $372 – 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 Lidingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $1,862 in Lidingo – roughly 48% apart. Lidingo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,793 in Lidingo. 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.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $156 in Lidingo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Lidingo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Lidingo at $1,862. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lidingo 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $1,862 in Lidingo. 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, Lidingo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.