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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,790 in Marsta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,746 in Marsta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,703 in Marsta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than Marsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Marsta is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$13.37 SEK 127

-12.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$69.6 SEK 662

-39.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.39 SEK 98.7

1.15%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.46 SEK 42.39

-19.51%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.10 SEK 19.93

-28.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.87 SEK 17.81

-50.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$7.29 SEK 69.2

-59.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.53 SEK 71.5

-41.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.80 SEK 17.06

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$3.07 SEK 29.20

-38.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$4.02 SEK 38.22

-61.19%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.69 SEK 35.06

-29.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$13.91 SEK 132

-40.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$9.56 SEK 90.9

-12.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$15.92 SEK 151

-31.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.61 SEK 34.25

-24.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.70 SEK 25.67

-44.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.18 SEK 30.20

-41.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$3.87 SEK 36.81

-43.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.51 SEK 14.32

23.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.60 SEK 15.20

39.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.75 SEK 26.13

-61.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.74 SEK 16.56

-37.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$7.48 SEK 71.0

-43.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$10.31 SEK 98.0

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.70 SEK 16.14

-2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.98 SEK 18.77

31.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$4.26 SEK 40.50

-87.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$102 SEK 971

-74.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$12.06 SEK 115

-74.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.64 SEK 15.57

46.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$58.9 SEK 560

-94.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.91 SEK 18.10

-31.41%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$33.0K SEK 313.8K

-9.75%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.4K SEK 327.2K

-32.28%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$88.4 SEK 839

-8.01%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$27.99 SEK 266

-19.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$35.99 SEK 342

-16.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$28.76 SEK 273

83.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$25.60 SEK 243

-28.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$15.86 SEK 151

-68.98%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$143 SEK 1,362

40.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$726 SEK 6,898

612.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$80.0 SEK 760

-55.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$43.89 SEK 417

-8.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$98.4 SEK 935

-19.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$107 SEK 1,017

-19.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$843 SEK 8,012

15.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$653 SEK 6,202

-27.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,398 SEK 13.3K

18.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,088 SEK 10.3K

10.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$4,464 SEK 42.4K

-11.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$3,186 SEK 30.3K

107.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$4,806 SEK 45.7K

-85.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.53

152.10%

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 Marsta: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $843 in Marsta. 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 610% higher in Marsta, 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 $70.0 in Marsta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $356 – 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 Marsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marsta is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,685 in Marsta. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $70.0 in Marsta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,790 in Marsta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Marsta at $1,790. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marsta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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, Marsta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.