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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,161 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,236 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,312 in Skelleftea, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 38% cheaper than Skelleftea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Skelleftea is 58% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$16.67 SEK 158

-21.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$83.0 SEK 787

-44.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$13.67 SEK 130

-7.90%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$4.94 SEK 46.81

-19.03%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$2.82 SEK 26.71

-49.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$2.41 SEK 22.83

-66.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$8.24 SEK 78.1

-62.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$7.97 SEK 75.5

-14.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.70 SEK 16.13

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$2.75 SEK 26.07

-19.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$5.10 SEK 48.37

-66.27%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$5.40 SEK 51.2

-49.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$11.75 SEK 111

-20.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$11.41 SEK 108

-22.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$25.20 SEK 239

-49.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$3.51 SEK 33.22

-10.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.55 SEK 24.14

-39.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$3.32 SEK 31.48

-35.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$3.60 SEK 34.08

-34.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$2.36 SEK 22.35

-14.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.71 SEK 16.22

16.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$2.39 SEK 22.61

-48.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.65 SEK 15.63

-27.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$7.65 SEK 72.5

-39.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$16.04 SEK 152

-34.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.77 SEK 16.81

-10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.71 SEK 16.19

70.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$2.90 SEK 27.51

-80.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$54.6 SEK 517

-45.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$8.38 SEK 79.4

-36.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$1.79 SEK 16.92

107.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$62.4 SEK 592

-90.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.83 SEK 17.33

-15.30%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$34.5K SEK 326.5K

-35.07%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$33.6K SEK 318.0K

-23.81%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$210 SEK 1,989

-57.47%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$35.11 SEK 333

-33.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$53.9 SEK 510

-41.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$39.97 SEK 379

72.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$42.20 SEK 400

-30.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$16.09 SEK 152

-68.55%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$151 SEK 1,428

47.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$5,774 SEK 54.7K

-25.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$99.7 SEK 945

-53.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$43.80 SEK 415

1.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$84.9 SEK 804

12.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$162 SEK 1,531

-42.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,216 SEK 11.5K

-12.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$854 SEK 8,092

-53.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$1,649 SEK 15.6K

20.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$1,296 SEK 12.3K

0.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$4,230 SEK 40.1K

-4.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$2,978 SEK 28.2K

122.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$2,720 SEK 25.8K

-72.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

3.9

197.44%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Skelleftea: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,216 in Skelleftea. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 264% higher in Skelleftea, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $83.0 in Skelleftea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $403 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Skelleftea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skelleftea is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,241 in Skelleftea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $2,161 in Skelleftea. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 83% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Skelleftea at $2,161. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skelleftea it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skelleftea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.