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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,653 in Mölndal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,581 in Mölndal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,508 in Mölndal.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 24% less than in Mölndal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Mölndal is 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67 MX$202
$12.88 SEK 118
-9.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88 MX$726
$74.0 SEK 681
-43.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.40 MX$180
$10.47 SEK 96.3
-0.67%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.6
$4.78 SEK 44.01
-24.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.45
$2.96 SEK 27.24
-50.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.80
$1.07 SEK 9.81
-14.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$7.17 SEK 66.0
-57.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 MX$77.4
$6.43 SEK 59.2
-30.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.83
$1.23 SEK 11.33
12.20%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.93
$1.62 SEK 14.93
13.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.82
$3.33 SEK 30.60
-51.65%
Eggs
$2.57 MX$44.52
$3.69 SEK 33.98
-30.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$7.33 SEK 67.5
15.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$9.66 SEK 88.9
-12.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.99 MX$190
$16.01 SEK 147
-31.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.25
$3.10 SEK 28.51
-11.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.92
$2.55 SEK 23.47
-41.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.93
$2.88 SEK 26.51
-31.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.70
$4.38 SEK 40.27
-51.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.30
$1.73 SEK 15.90
7.51%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.67
$1.88 SEK 17.31
15.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.59
$1.93 SEK 17.72
-44.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$18.18
$1.25 SEK 11.50
-16.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.6
$7.47 SEK 68.8
-43.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.28 MX$178
$11.07 SEK 102
-7.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.87
$2.13 SEK 19.57
-21.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 MX$43.12
$2.56 SEK 23.59
-2.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$3.71 SEK 34.14
-85.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.27 MX$455
$86.6 SEK 797
-69.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 MX$53.8
$6.53 SEK 60.0
-52.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.66
$1.59 SEK 14.62
54.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.1
$62.6 SEK 576
-94.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.83
$1.89 SEK 17.43
-33.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$522.8K
$33.2K SEK 305.5K
-9.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$406.3K
$34.5K SEK 317.1K
-31.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 MX$1,456
$76.0 SEK 699
10.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 MX$385
$10.58 SEK 97.4
109.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65 MX$514
$21.51 SEK 198
37.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 MX$912
$36.28 SEK 334
45.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34 MX$318
$29.58 SEK 272
-38.00%
Cinema Ticket
$4.95 MX$85.7
$17.90 SEK 165
-72.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,438
$178 SEK 1,637
11.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,322 MX$92.2K
$4,098 SEK 37.7K
29.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95 MX$623
$90.1 SEK 829
-60.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06 MX$694
$39.59 SEK 364
1.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,365
$72.9 SEK 671
8.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,499
$152 SEK 1,402
-43.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 MX$16.9K
$832 SEK 7,657
17.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 MX$8,158
$645 SEK 5,933
-27.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
$1,382 SEK 12.7K
15.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 MX$21.1K
$1,064 SEK 9,787
14.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,032 MX$69.9K
$4,377 SEK 40.3K
-7.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,579 MX$114.0K
$3,080 SEK 28.3K
113.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$714 MX$12.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.33
163.74%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Mölndal: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $832 in Mölndal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42 in Playa del Carmen vs $74 in Mölndal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $309 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Mölndal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Mölndal?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Mölndal. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Mölndal?
You'd need roughly $1,891 in Playa del Carmen and $2,480 in Mölndal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Mölndal?
Rent for a central apartment: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $832 in Mölndal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Mölndal?
All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,653 in Mölndal – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen vs Mölndal?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 230% less than in Mölndal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Mölndal?
At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,653 in Mölndal, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mölndal. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Mölndal?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Mölndal?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Mölndal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Mölndal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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