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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,797 in Norrkoping.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,702 in Norrkoping.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,607 in Norrkoping.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 28% less than in Norrkoping, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Norrkoping is 34% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Norrkoping
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$12.64 SEK 118
-5.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$67.8 SEK 631
-36.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$10.61 SEK 98.6
-0.19%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$4.79 SEK 44.54
-24.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$2.31 SEK 21.49
-36.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$1.88 SEK 17.53
-50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$7.45 SEK 69.3
-58.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$7.73 SEK 71.9
-42.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Norrkoping
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.60 SEK 14.92
-10.63%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$2.83 SEK 26.29
-33.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$4.43 SEK 41.21
-63.21%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$4.24 SEK 39.46
-37.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$12.32 SEK 115
-33.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$13.98 SEK 130
-40.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$16.15 SEK 150
-31.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$3.15 SEK 29.29
-15.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$2.74 SEK 25.48
-45.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$3.70 SEK 34.42
-46.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$5.24 SEK 48.77
-60.31%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$1.48 SEK 13.76
20.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$1.83 SEK 16.99
19.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$1.99 SEK 18.55
-45.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$1.31 SEK 12.23
-20.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$7.57 SEK 70.4
-47.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$10.74 SEK 99.9
-5.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$1.87 SEK 17.34
-7.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$2.66 SEK 24.77
-6.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Norrkoping
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$3.53 SEK 32.85
-85.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
$115 SEK 1,070
-76.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$5.64 SEK 52.4
-44.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$1.60 SEK 14.92
50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$64.3 SEK 597
-95.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$1.92 SEK 17.89
-33.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$32.4K SEK 301.1K
-4.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$34.4K SEK 319.7K
-32.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Norrkoping
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$106 SEK 981
-22.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$27.17 SEK 253
-17.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$43.59 SEK 405
-31.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Norrkoping
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$35.35 SEK 329
46.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
$41.50 SEK 386
-55.01%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$15.73 SEK 146
-68.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Norrkoping
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$145 SEK 1,351
36.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$1,437 SEK 13.4K
266.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Norrkoping
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$79.2 SEK 736
-54.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$36.36 SEK 338
10.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$95.4 SEK 887
-16.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$115 SEK 1,073
-22.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Norrkoping
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$704 SEK 6,546
36.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$620 SEK 5,766
-25.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$1,224 SEK 11.4K
30.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$907 SEK 8,437
33.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
$4,147 SEK 38.6K
-4.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
$3,084 SEK 28.7K
109.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Norrkoping
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
$3,257 SEK 30.3K
-77.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.8
137.92%

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 Norrkoping: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $704 in Norrkoping. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Norrkoping pays 352% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $68.0 in Norrkoping for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $376 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 Norrkoping: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Norrkoping?
Playa del Carmen and Norrkoping differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $1,797 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Norrkoping earns 352% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Norrkoping?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $704 in Norrkoping. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Norrkoping?
All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,797 in Norrkoping – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Norrkoping?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 327% less than in Norrkoping. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,797 in Norrkoping, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Norrkoping. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Norrkoping?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Norrkoping safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Norrkoping are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Norrkoping?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Norrkoping. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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