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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,813 in Lidingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,745 in Lidingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,677 in Lidingo, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Lidingo is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$10.97 SEK 102

8.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$56.1 SEK 522

-23.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.34 SEK 77.6

26.98%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.07 SEK 28.52

17.92%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$3.24 SEK 30.11

-54.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.59 SEK 24.10

-63.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$5.22 SEK 48.58

-40.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.80 SEK 44.63

-7.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.60 SEK 14.90

-10.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.66 SEK 24.71

-29.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.75 SEK 34.87

-56.53%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.92 SEK 36.48

-32.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.95 SEK 111

-31.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$12.71 SEK 118

-34.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$18.85 SEK 175

-41.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.35 SEK 31.11

-20.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.57 SEK 23.91

-41.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.61 SEK 33.59

-44.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.71 SEK 34.50

-43.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.17 SEK 20.17

-17.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.02 SEK 18.75

7.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.84 SEK 26.45

-61.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.85 SEK 17.18

-43.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.69 SEK 71.5

-48.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$14.86 SEK 138

-31.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.38 SEK 12.85

25.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.24 SEK 20.86

11.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.32 SEK 30.92

-84.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$75.3 SEK 700

-64.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.61 SEK 33.62

-13.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.59 SEK 14.79

50.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$84.9 SEK 789

-96.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.91 SEK 17.73

-33.51%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.8K SEK 305.4K

-5.96%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.9K SEK 315.0K

-31.17%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$188 SEK 1,746

-56.32%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$29.24 SEK 272

-23.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$41.23 SEK 383

-28.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$40.30 SEK 375

28.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$25.50 SEK 237

-26.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$19.14 SEK 178

-74.03%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$159 SEK 1,474

24.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,198 SEK 39.0K

25.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$95.1 SEK 884

-61.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$41.91 SEK 390

-4.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$93.9 SEK 873

-14.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$122 SEK 1,132

-26.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$848 SEK 7,882

13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$642 SEK 5,971

-27.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,380 SEK 12.8K

15.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,078 SEK 10.0K

12.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$4,355 SEK 40.5K

-9.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$3,072 SEK 28.6K

109.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$2,732 SEK 25.4K

-73.63%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Lidingo: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $848 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 279% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $56.0 in Lidingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $380 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,813 in Lidingo – roughly 41% apart. Lidingo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,720 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $159 in Lidingo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $1,287, than in Lidingo at $1,813. 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,813 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.