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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,843 in Ostersund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,834 in Ostersund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,825 in Ostersund.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 32% less than in Ostersund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Ostersund is 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$13.50 SEK 128

-13.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$72.5 SEK 689

-42.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.73 SEK 102

-2.05%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.74 SEK 45.03

-24.26%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.75 SEK 26.12

-45.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.51 SEK 23.81

-63.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$7.97 SEK 75.8

-62.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.73 SEK 73.4

-42.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.49 SEK 14.17

-6.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$3.01 SEK 28.60

-37.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$4.89 SEK 46.48

-68.10%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.42 SEK 32.53

-23.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$14.43 SEK 137

-42.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$11.85 SEK 113

-29.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$16.20 SEK 154

-32.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.37 SEK 41.47

-37.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.95 SEK 28.00

-48.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.77 SEK 35.78

-50.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.32 SEK 41.02

-49.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$3.76 SEK 35.69

-50.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.77 SEK 16.85

25.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.51 SEK 23.88

-57.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.56 SEK 14.86

-30.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$8.18 SEK 77.7

-48.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$10.11 SEK 96.0

3.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.97 SEK 18.71

-15.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.98 SEK 18.84

31.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.45 SEK 32.73

-84.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$73.2 SEK 695

-64.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$6.45 SEK 61.3

-52.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.65 SEK 15.68

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$62.8 SEK 596

-95.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.07 SEK 19.64

-36.71%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$32.9K SEK 313.0K

-9.54%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.2K SEK 325.3K

-31.89%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$116 SEK 1,101

-29.89%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$29.20 SEK 277

-22.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$37.09 SEK 352

-18.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$40.91 SEK 389

29.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$25.43 SEK 242

-27.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$15.24 SEK 145

-67.72%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$129 SEK 1,227

55.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,066 SEK 38.6K

27.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$96.5 SEK 916

-62.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$40.03 SEK 380

0.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$97.8 SEK 929

-18.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$148 SEK 1,411

-41.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$831 SEK 7,895

17.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$667 SEK 6,336

-29.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,404 SEK 13.3K

17.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,079 SEK 10.3K

11.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$3,798 SEK 36.1K

4.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$2,909 SEK 27.6K

127.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ostersund: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $831 in Ostersund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $72.0 in Ostersund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $383 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 Ostersund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $2,764 in Ostersund 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $831 in Ostersund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,843 in Ostersund – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 180% less than in Ostersund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,843 in Ostersund, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ostersund. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ostersund, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ostersund are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Ostersund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.