๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,706 in Mรถlndal.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,617 in Mรถlndal.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,527 in Mรถlndal.
๐Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 26% less than in Mรถlndal, driven mainly by Getting Around.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Mรถlndal is 27% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Mรถlndal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$12.87SEKย 121
-7.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$74.6SEKย 700
-42.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$10.68SEKย 100
-0.28%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$4.83SEKย 45.31
-28.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$3.09SEKย 28.99
-51.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$1.03SEKย 9.68
-7.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$7.52SEKย 70.5
-59.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$6.27SEKย 58.8
-26.48%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Mรถlndal
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$1.20SEKย 11.23
15.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$1.57SEKย 14.70
17.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$3.34SEKย 31.29
-51.80%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$3.76SEKย 35.27
-31.12%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$7.13SEKย 66.9
15.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$9.28SEKย 87.1
-9.81%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$15.70SEKย 147
-32.10%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$3.09SEKย 28.99
-14.89%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$2.64SEKย 24.74
-43.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$2.89SEKย 27.12
-33.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$4.20SEKย 39.38
-50.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$1.71SEKย 16.03
8.77%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$1.93SEKย 18.06
17.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$2.00SEKย 18.74
-47.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$1.27SEKย 11.93
-14.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$7.39SEKย 69.3
-43.84%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$10.60SEKย 99.4
-1.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$2.14SEKย 20.04
-19.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$2.60SEKย 24.34
0.38%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Mรถlndal
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$3.86SEKย 36.20
-86.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$88.9SEKย 834
-69.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$6.41SEKย 60.1
-51.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$1.59SEKย 14.95
57.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$61.8SEKย 579
-94.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$1.97SEKย 18.44
-35.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$32.0KSEKย 299.8K
-4.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$35.1KSEKย 328.9K
-32.78%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Mรถlndal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$76.0SEKย 713
9.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$10.58SEKย 99.2
114.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$21.01SEKย 197
40.22%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Mรถlndal
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$36.97SEKย 347
37.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$30.32SEKย 284
-39.54%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$18.13SEKย 170
-72.81%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Mรถlndal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$172SEKย 1,616
14.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$4,086SEKย 38.3K
29.21%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Mรถlndal
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$89.3SEKย 838
-58.69%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$39.76SEKย 373
0.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$74.9SEKย 703
6.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$153SEKย 1,437
-41.59%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Mรถlndal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$850SEKย 7,976
12.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$650SEKย 6,096
-26.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$1,393SEKย 13.1K
18.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$1,093SEKย 10.3K
12.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$4,290SEKย 40.2K
-8.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$3,005SEKย 28.2K
114.94%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Mรถlndal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4.33
163.74%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Last update for Mรถlndal: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $850 in Mรถlndal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $75.0 in Mรถlndal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $304 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 Mรถlndal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Mรถlndal?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost โ living expenses run 34% lower than in Mรถlndal. 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 Mรถlndal?
You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $2,560 in Mรถlndal 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 Mรถlndal?
Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $850 in Mรถlndal. 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 Mรถlndal?
All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,706 in Mรถlndal โ a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen vs Mรถlndal?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 230% less than in Mรถlndal. 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 Mรถlndal?
At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,706 in Mรถlndal, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mรถlndal. 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 Mรถlndal?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value โ similar infrastructure at $1,271 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 Mรถlndal?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Mรถlndal 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 โ expenses run 34% less than in Mรถlndal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared