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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,859 in Skovde, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,924 in Skovde, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,989 in Skovde, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 28% cheaper than Skovde, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Skovde is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$13.57 SEK 129

-4.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$83.6 SEK 792

-44.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$10.32 SEK 97.8

22.00%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$4.35 SEK 41.26

-8.05%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$3.29 SEK 31.21

-56.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$2.48 SEK 23.48

-67.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$8.21 SEK 77.8

-62.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$10.32 SEK 97.8

-33.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.45 SEK 13.77

17.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$2.94 SEK 27.86

-24.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$4.12 SEK 39.07

-58.25%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$3.86 SEK 36.58

-29.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$10.65 SEK 101

-12.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$13.73 SEK 130

-35.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$18.51 SEK 175

-30.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$4.27 SEK 40.48

-26.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.87 SEK 27.24

-45.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$3.82 SEK 36.17

-43.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$5.67 SEK 53.8

-58.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.61 SEK 15.26

25.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.79 SEK 16.98

11.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$2.81 SEK 26.65

-55.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.34 SEK 12.69

-11.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$8.03 SEK 76.1

-42.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$8.54 SEK 80.9

22.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$2.53 SEK 23.95

-37.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.65 SEK 25.12

10.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$3.78 SEK 35.81

-85.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$86.8 SEK 822

-65.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$5.55 SEK 52.5

-4.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$1.40 SEK 13.26

165.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$65.6 SEK 622

-91.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.78 SEK 16.91

-12.92%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$34.1K SEK 323.2K

-34.42%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$34.9K SEK 330.7K

-26.73%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$118 SEK 1,118

-24.32%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$11.57 SEK 110

101.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$45.13 SEK 428

-29.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$39.05 SEK 370

76.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$26.97 SEK 256

9.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$20.40 SEK 193

-75.20%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$131 SEK 1,237

70.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$5,288 SEK 50.1K

-18.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$97.2 SEK 921

-52.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$31.40 SEK 298

41.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$62.9 SEK 596

51.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$213 SEK 2,018

-56.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$848 SEK 8,039

26.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$609 SEK 5,774

-35.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$1,424 SEK 13.5K

39.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$1,057 SEK 10.0K

23.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$4,290 SEK 40.6K

-5.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$2,951 SEK 28.0K

124.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$3,521 SEK 33.4K

-78.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

286.67%

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 Skovde: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $848 in Skovde. 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 371% higher in Skovde, 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 $84.0 in Skovde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 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 Skovde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skovde is pricier by about 40%, 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 $2,788 in Skovde. 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 $1,859 in Skovde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 192% 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 Skovde at $1,859. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skovde 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, Skovde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.