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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,802 in Marsta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,754 in Marsta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,706 in Marsta, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$13.22 SEK 123

-9.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$68.4 SEK 636

-37.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$10.60 SEK 98.6

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.45 SEK 41.37

-18.65%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.17 SEK 20.17

-32.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.87 SEK 17.44

-49.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$7.41 SEK 68.9

-58.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.34 SEK 68.2

-39.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.78 SEK 16.56

-19.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.22 SEK 29.97

-41.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.98 SEK 36.99

-59.05%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.82 SEK 35.55

-30.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$14.00 SEK 130

-41.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.60 SEK 89.3

-13.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$15.73 SEK 146

-29.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.69 SEK 34.32

-28.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.56 SEK 23.82

-41.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.14 SEK 29.21

-36.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.99 SEK 37.12

-47.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.52 SEK 14.11

17.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.62 SEK 15.08

34.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.70 SEK 25.12

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.75 SEK 16.32

-40.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.17 SEK 66.7

-44.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.63 SEK 98.9

-4.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.79 SEK 16.65

-3.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.88 SEK 17.45

32.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$4.13 SEK 38.40

-87.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$101 SEK 936

-73.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$12.25 SEK 114

-74.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.63 SEK 15.17

47.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$60.0 SEK 558

-94.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.00 SEK 18.62

-36.50%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$33.0K SEK 306.5K

-6.30%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.3K SEK 318.9K

-32.00%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$88.1 SEK 819

-6.89%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$28.80 SEK 268

-22.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$36.96 SEK 344

-19.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$29.08 SEK 270

78.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$24.91 SEK 232

-25.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$15.84 SEK 147

-68.62%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$144 SEK 1,338

37.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$746 SEK 6,936

606.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$77.7 SEK 723

-53.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$42.96 SEK 399

-6.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$101 SEK 938

-20.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$107 SEK 999

-17.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$855 SEK 7,952

12.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$645 SEK 5,997

-27.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,379 SEK 12.8K

15.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,086 SEK 10.1K

11.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$3,869 SEK 36.0K

1.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$2,651 SEK 24.7K

143.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$5,003 SEK 46.5K

-85.60%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Marsta: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $855 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 594% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $68.0 in Marsta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $358 – 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 40%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,703 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $68.0 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,802 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 $1,287, than in Marsta at $1,802. 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.