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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,123 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,198 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,273 in Skelleftea, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 39% cheaper than Skelleftea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Skelleftea is 59% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$14.46 SEK 135

-18.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$68.5 SEK 641

-39.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$13.20 SEK 124

-21.14%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$4.68 SEK 43.74

-22.86%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$2.55 SEK 23.85

-42.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$2.05 SEK 19.21

-52.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$8.96 SEK 83.8

-67.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$8.49 SEK 79.4

-45.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.69 SEK 15.79

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$2.63 SEK 24.56

-27.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$5.14 SEK 48.12

-69.46%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$4.96 SEK 46.36

-46.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$11.86 SEK 111

-28.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$11.69 SEK 109

-26.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$22.17 SEK 207

-50.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.58 SEK 24.10

4.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.55 SEK 23.87

-40.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$3.27 SEK 30.60

-41.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$3.79 SEK 35.42

-42.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.12 SEK 19.88

-11.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.64 SEK 15.32

35.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.34 SEK 21.93

-53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.46 SEK 13.69

-26.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$7.49 SEK 70.0

-44.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$15.78 SEK 148

-34.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.78 SEK 16.68

-5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.76 SEK 16.50

43.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$4.27 SEK 39.94

-87.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$56.9 SEK 532

-53.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$8.26 SEK 77.2

-61.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$2.01 SEK 18.77

22.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$59.8 SEK 560

-94.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.98 SEK 18.49

-33.33%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$32.4K SEK 303.3K

-7.00%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$34.3K SEK 320.4K

-31.70%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$171 SEK 1,602

-52.51%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$31.69 SEK 296

-29.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$27.57 SEK 258

8.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$40.45 SEK 378

27.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$25.40 SEK 238

-27.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$16.06 SEK 150

-67.87%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$151 SEK 1,413

33.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$4,059 SEK 38.0K

30.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$97.4 SEK 911

-63.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$41.14 SEK 385

-1.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$83.5 SEK 781

-5.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$162 SEK 1,512

-46.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$1,285 SEK 12.0K

-26.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$854 SEK 7,988

-44.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,781 SEK 16.7K

-8.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$1,392 SEK 13.0K

-12.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$4,544 SEK 42.5K

-11.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$2,590 SEK 24.2K

149.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$2,664 SEK 24.9K

-74.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Skelleftea: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,285 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 296% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.0 in Skelleftea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $385 – 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 64%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,185 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $2,123 in Skelleftea. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 116% 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 $1,294, than in Skelleftea at $2,123. 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.