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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,869 in Lidingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,892 in Lidingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,915 in Lidingo, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Lidingo is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$14.40 SEK 141

-19.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$73.0 SEK 717

-35.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$11.51 SEK 113

3.21%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.10 SEK 30.49

28.39%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$2.44 SEK 23.96

-41.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$2.57 SEK 25.25

-68.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$6.57 SEK 64.6

-51.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.71 SEK 56.1

18.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.45 SEK 14.28

15.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$3.13 SEK 30.80

-29.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$3.72 SEK 36.53

-54.03%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$4.12 SEK 40.47

-33.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$12.46 SEK 122

-23.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$13.26 SEK 130

-32.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$23.12 SEK 227

-44.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.24 SEK 31.88

-10.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$2.51 SEK 24.66

-40.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$3.78 SEK 37.10

-43.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$4.22 SEK 41.48

-46.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$2.05 SEK 20.12

-3.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.94 SEK 19.07

2.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$2.31 SEK 22.69

-46.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$1.58 SEK 15.51

-24.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$7.77 SEK 76.3

-41.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$12.64 SEK 124

-17.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.43 SEK 14.00

13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.27 SEK 22.34

26.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$3.49 SEK 34.31

-82.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$78.7 SEK 773

-63.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$3.60 SEK 35.38

49.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$2.94 SEK 28.84

26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$84.8 SEK 833

-93.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.89 SEK 18.56

-18.52%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$34.3K SEK 337.3K

-34.32%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$34.6K SEK 339.5K

-24.60%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$191 SEK 1,880

-52.25%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$23.36 SEK 230

7.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$45.63 SEK 448

-31.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$38.99 SEK 383

72.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$25.81 SEK 254

12.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$17.25 SEK 169

-71.83%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$157 SEK 1,545

42.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$5,196 SEK 51.0K

-18.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$106 SEK 1,046

-55.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$41.03 SEK 403

7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$91.9 SEK 903

-12.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$144 SEK 1,415

-35.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$844 SEK 8,290

25.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$610 SEK 5,997

-36.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$1,386 SEK 13.6K

55.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$1,066 SEK 10.5K

19.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$4,140 SEK 40.7K

-3.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$2,973 SEK 29.2K

118.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$2,592 SEK 25.5K

-70.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.53

224.36%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lidingo: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $844 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 242% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $73.0 in Lidingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $393 – 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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,869 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,804 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 $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $157 in Lidingo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $1,266, than in Lidingo at $1,869. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $1,869 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.