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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,853 in Ostersund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,860 in Ostersund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,867 in Ostersund.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 31% less than in Ostersund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Ostersund is 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$13.21 SEK 123

-9.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$73.7 SEK 685

-42.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$10.60 SEK 98.6

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.50 SEK 41.88

-19.56%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.79 SEK 25.92

-47.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.49 SEK 23.16

-62.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$7.85 SEK 73.0

-60.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.42 SEK 69.0

-39.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.53 SEK 14.27

-6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.08 SEK 28.67

-38.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$5.10 SEK 47.47

-68.04%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.61 SEK 33.61

-26.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$14.49 SEK 135

-43.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$11.74 SEK 109

-29.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$15.97 SEK 149

-30.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.54 SEK 42.24

-41.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$3.00 SEK 27.89

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.73 SEK 34.65

-46.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.19 SEK 39.00

-50.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$3.71 SEK 34.47

-51.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.85 SEK 17.18

17.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.63 SEK 24.44

-58.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.53 SEK 14.19

-32.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$8.20 SEK 76.3

-51.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.06 SEK 103

-7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.97 SEK 18.29

-12.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.95 SEK 18.10

28.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.28 SEK 30.53

-84.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$74.6 SEK 694

-63.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$6.12 SEK 56.9

-48.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.67 SEK 15.49

43.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$61.5 SEK 572

-94.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.09 SEK 19.44

-39.23%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.8K SEK 304.6K

-5.72%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.4K SEK 319.9K

-32.21%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$115 SEK 1,065

-28.41%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$28.51 SEK 265

-21.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$37.11 SEK 345

-20.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$39.73 SEK 369

30.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$24.92 SEK 232

-25.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$15.69 SEK 146

-68.32%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$129 SEK 1,202

53.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,151 SEK 38.6K

27.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$94.4 SEK 878

-61.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$41.27 SEK 384

-2.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$95.5 SEK 888

-16.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$153 SEK 1,418

-41.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$830 SEK 7,715

16.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$647 SEK 6,012

-28.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,420 SEK 13.2K

12.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,061 SEK 9,872

13.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$4,517 SEK 42.0K

-12.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$2,965 SEK 27.6K

117.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ostersund: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $830 in Ostersund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $74.0 in Ostersund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $387 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 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $2,780 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $830 in Ostersund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,853 in Ostersund – a 44% 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 177% less than in Ostersund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,853 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 44% less than in Ostersund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.