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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,637 in Mölndal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,572 in Mölndal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,507 in Mölndal.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 23% less than in Mölndal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Mölndal is 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 MX$200
$13.60 SEK 134
-14.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11 MX$812
$71.5 SEK 705
-34.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.88 MX$205
$11.38 SEK 112
4.39%
Cappuccino
$3.98 MX$68.6
$5.08 SEK 50.1
-21.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.60
$2.96 SEK 29.18
-51.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$14.22
$1.06 SEK 10.47
-22.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$55.0
$7.04 SEK 69.4
-54.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 MX$117
$6.19 SEK 61.0
9.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.89
$1.21 SEK 11.92
38.84%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$37.88
$1.58 SEK 15.53
39.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.45
$3.22 SEK 31.76
-46.89%
Eggs
$2.74 MX$47.26
$3.78 SEK 37.25
-27.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 MX$165
$7.11 SEK 70.1
34.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 MX$155
$9.37 SEK 92.3
-3.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 MX$221
$17.65 SEK 174
-27.42%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 MX$49.81
$3.19 SEK 31.45
-9.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$2.61 SEK 25.74
-42.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$37.03
$2.95 SEK 29.08
-27.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.96
$4.52 SEK 44.53
-50.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$34.15
$1.68 SEK 16.60
17.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.30
$1.73 SEK 17.00
15.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 MX$21.28
$1.94 SEK 19.13
-36.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.63
$1.24 SEK 12.20
-3.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 MX$78.5
$7.61 SEK 75.0
-40.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$179
$10.62 SEK 105
-2.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.91
$2.13 SEK 20.98
-23.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$49.67
$2.35 SEK 23.17
22.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.35
$3.76 SEK 37.08
-84.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.80 MX$497
$86.9 SEK 856
-66.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$92.9
$6.28 SEK 61.8
-14.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.73 MX$64.3
$1.79 SEK 17.67
108.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 MX$99.5
$61.0 SEK 601
-90.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.48
$1.87 SEK 18.42
-17.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$388.8K
$34.2K SEK 337.0K
-34.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$449.3K
$34.8K SEK 343.2K
-25.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.4 MX$1,576
$44.46 SEK 438
105.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20 MX$435
$10.52 SEK 104
139.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24 MX$539
$20.48 SEK 202
52.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 MX$1,159
$41.31 SEK 407
62.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 MX$502
$29.52 SEK 291
-1.39%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$83.8
$18.86 SEK 186
-74.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 MX$3,856
$231 SEK 2,273
-3.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,229 MX$72.9K
$4,509 SEK 44.4K
-6.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10 MX$812
$91.0 SEK 896
-48.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29 MX$764
$34.20 SEK 337
29.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 MX$1,381
$71.7 SEK 707
11.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 MX$1,598
$140 SEK 1,380
-33.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$18.3K
$842 SEK 8,300
26.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,728
$623 SEK 6,138
-37.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 MX$37.1K
$1,385 SEK 13.6K
55.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 MX$21.9K
$1,053 SEK 10.4K
20.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,001 MX$69.0K
$4,245 SEK 41.8K
-5.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,502 MX$112.1K
$2,939 SEK 29.0K
121.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Mölndal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.06
274.18%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mölndal: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $842 in Mölndal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $72.0 in Mölndal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $311 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 29% 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 and in Mölndal?
You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $2,456 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 compared to Mölndal?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $842 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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,637 in Mölndal – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen compared to Mölndal?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 202% 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 in Mölndal?
At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,637 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 $1,266 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 29% less than in Mölndal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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