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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,121 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,194 in Skelleftea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,267 in Skelleftea, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Skelleftea is 58% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$14.88 SEK 138

-19.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$68.3 SEK 635

-37.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$13.03 SEK 121

-18.73%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.70 SEK 43.68

-22.98%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.48 SEK 23.11

-40.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.00 SEK 18.62

-53.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$9.18 SEK 85.4

-66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$8.42 SEK 78.3

-47.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.70 SEK 15.85

-15.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.68 SEK 24.89

-29.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$4.97 SEK 46.19

-67.20%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.72 SEK 43.89

-44.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.83 SEK 110

-30.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$11.58 SEK 108

-28.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$22.62 SEK 210

-50.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.59 SEK 24.08

2.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.58 SEK 24.01

-41.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.29 SEK 30.59

-39.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.74 SEK 34.82

-44.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.22 SEK 20.61

-19.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.59 SEK 14.79

37.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.43 SEK 22.60

-55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.44 SEK 13.39

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.10 SEK 66.1

-44.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$16.42 SEK 153

-37.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.78 SEK 16.55

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.75 SEK 16.28

42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$4.25 SEK 39.52

-87.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$56.8 SEK 528

-52.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$8.33 SEK 77.4

-62.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.06 SEK 19.13

16.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$58.4 SEK 543

-94.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.88 SEK 17.46

-32.45%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.8K SEK 304.7K

-5.74%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.7K SEK 322.7K

-32.80%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$172 SEK 1,597

-52.23%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$32.13 SEK 299

-30.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$28.47 SEK 265

4.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$41.21 SEK 383

25.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$25.29 SEK 235

-26.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$15.59 SEK 145

-68.12%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$152 SEK 1,411

30.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,175 SEK 38.8K

26.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$99.0 SEK 920

-63.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$41.47 SEK 386

-3.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$84.2 SEK 783

-5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$164 SEK 1,527

-45.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,272 SEK 11.8K

-24.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$868 SEK 8,068

-46.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,725 SEK 16.0K

-7.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,400 SEK 13.0K

-13.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$4,757 SEK 44.2K

-17.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$3,438 SEK 32.0K

87.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$2,775 SEK 25.8K

-74.04%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Skelleftea: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,272 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 285% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $68.0 in Skelleftea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $386 – 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 65%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,181 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $2,121 in Skelleftea. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 110% 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 $1,287, than in Skelleftea at $2,121. 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.