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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,834 in Lidingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,744 in Lidingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,655 in Lidingo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 29% cheaper than Lidingo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Lidingo is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$11.18 SEK 105

4.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$55.8 SEK 522

-25.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$8.58 SEK 80.3

21.33%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.25 SEK 30.38

11.08%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$3.10 SEK 28.96

-52.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$2.61 SEK 24.40

-62.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$5.32 SEK 49.77

-45.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$4.83 SEK 45.21

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.55 SEK 14.52

-7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$2.67 SEK 24.97

-28.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$3.79 SEK 35.47

-58.58%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$3.98 SEK 37.26

-33.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$12.13 SEK 114

-30.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$12.38 SEK 116

-30.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$18.91 SEK 177

-41.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.23 SEK 30.21

-16.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.56 SEK 23.95

-41.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$3.59 SEK 33.56

-46.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$3.58 SEK 33.53

-39.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.17 SEK 20.28

-13.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.95 SEK 18.21

14.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.96 SEK 27.73

-63.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.83 SEK 17.08

-41.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$7.92 SEK 74.1

-47.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$14.49 SEK 136

-28.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.43 SEK 13.41

17.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.27 SEK 21.27

11.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$3.45 SEK 32.32

-84.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$74.6 SEK 698

-64.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$3.64 SEK 34.09

-12.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.66 SEK 15.55

48.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$85.3 SEK 798

-96.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.99 SEK 18.59

-33.67%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$33.2K SEK 310.5K

-9.17%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$33.7K SEK 315.4K

-30.61%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$188 SEK 1,755

-56.64%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$29.03 SEK 272

-22.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$40.72 SEK 381

-26.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$40.48 SEK 379

27.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$24.82 SEK 232

-25.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$19.45 SEK 182

-73.47%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$157 SEK 1,469

28.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$4,180 SEK 39.1K

27.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$95.1 SEK 890

-62.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$42.40 SEK 397

-4.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$93.5 SEK 875

-15.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$124 SEK 1,158

-29.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$836 SEK 7,816

13.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$646 SEK 6,044

-26.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,387 SEK 13.0K

16.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$1,097 SEK 10.3K

11.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$4,281 SEK 40.0K

-6.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$3,000 SEK 28.1K

115.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$2,648 SEK 24.8K

-74.59%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Lidingo: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $836 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 293% 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 $56.0 in Lidingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $377 – 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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, $1,834 in Lidingo – roughly 42% apart. Lidingo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,750 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 $202 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 49% 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 $1,294, than in Lidingo at $1,834. 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen to $1,834 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.