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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,739 in Marsta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,707 in Marsta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,675 in Marsta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 26% cheaper than Marsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Marsta is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$12.93 SEK 121

-9.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$67.6 SEK 632

-38.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$10.73 SEK 100

-2.98%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$4.68 SEK 43.77

-22.86%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$2.07 SEK 19.38

-29.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$1.86 SEK 17.39

-47.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$7.52 SEK 70.4

-61.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$7.42 SEK 69.4

-37.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.85 SEK 17.29

-22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$3.08 SEK 28.79

-38.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$3.93 SEK 36.79

-60.05%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$3.79 SEK 35.42

-30.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$13.85 SEK 130

-39.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$9.33 SEK 87.3

-8.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$15.40 SEK 144

-28.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.53 SEK 33.01

-23.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.66 SEK 24.88

-43.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$3.13 SEK 29.30

-38.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$3.94 SEK 36.90

-44.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.52 SEK 14.19

23.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.56 SEK 14.60

42.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.67 SEK 24.99

-59.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.67 SEK 15.62

-35.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$7.31 SEK 68.4

-43.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$10.49 SEK 98.1

-1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.77 SEK 16.59

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.88 SEK 17.62

34.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$4.11 SEK 38.49

-86.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$98.6 SEK 922

-73.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$12.14 SEK 114

-73.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.59 SEK 14.86

54.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$58.9 SEK 551

-94.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.93 SEK 18.01

-31.61%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$32.2K SEK 301.5K

-6.45%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$34.8K SEK 326.0K

-32.86%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$88.2 SEK 825

-7.79%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$28.33 SEK 265

-20.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$36.86 SEK 345

-18.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$29.01 SEK 271

77.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$25.52 SEK 239

-27.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$16.10 SEK 151

-67.95%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$146 SEK 1,363

38.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$728 SEK 6,814

629.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$80.1 SEK 749

-55.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$44.34 SEK 415

-8.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$99.5 SEK 930

-20.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$105 SEK 980

-17.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$852 SEK 7,969

11.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$657 SEK 6,145

-27.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,390 SEK 13.0K

16.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$1,075 SEK 10.1K

13.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$4,294 SEK 40.2K

-6.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$3,015 SEK 28.2K

114.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$4,972 SEK 46.5K

-86.46%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Marsta: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $852 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 639% 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 $68.0 in Marsta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $352 – 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 34%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,609 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 $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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,739 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 $1,294, than in Marsta at $1,739. 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.