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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,876 in Skovde, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,893 in Skovde, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,909 in Skovde, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 31% cheaper than Skovde, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Skovde is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$15.80 SEK 147

-24.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$69.7 SEK 648

-38.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$11.64 SEK 108

-9.02%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.75 SEK 44.16

-23.79%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.72 SEK 25.30

-45.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.17 SEK 20.20

-56.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$8.61 SEK 80.1

-64.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$8.48 SEK 78.9

-47.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.65 SEK 15.35

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.89 SEK 26.85

-34.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$4.50 SEK 41.88

-63.78%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$5.02 SEK 46.66

-47.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.31 SEK 114

-33.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$13.96 SEK 130

-40.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$17.23 SEK 160

-35.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.70 SEK 34.39

-28.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.74 SEK 25.48

-45.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.60 SEK 33.51

-44.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$5.21 SEK 48.42

-60.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.63 SEK 15.20

9.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.79 SEK 16.68

21.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.72 SEK 25.29

-60.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.30 SEK 12.11

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.76 SEK 72.1

-48.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.72 SEK 99.7

-4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.45 SEK 22.83

-29.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.54 SEK 23.64

-1.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.77 SEK 35.07

-86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$73.3 SEK 682

-63.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$5.74 SEK 53.3

-45.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.65 SEK 15.38

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$63.8 SEK 594

-95.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.94 SEK 18.03

-34.54%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.8K SEK 305.2K

-5.90%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.9K SEK 314.9K

-31.15%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$111 SEK 1,033

-26.14%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$29.34 SEK 273

-23.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$42.24 SEK 393

-29.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$40.28 SEK 375

28.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$25.26 SEK 235

-26.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$19.82 SEK 184

-74.92%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$144 SEK 1,341

37.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$5,595 SEK 52.0K

-5.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$87.1 SEK 810

-58.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$42.36 SEK 394

-5.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$100 SEK 931

-20.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$157 SEK 1,459

-43.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$836 SEK 7,774

15.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$660 SEK 6,141

-29.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,392 SEK 12.9K

14.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,098 SEK 10.2K

10.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$4,431 SEK 41.2K

-11.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$3,047 SEK 28.3K

111.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.8

137.92%

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 Skovde: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $836 in Skovde. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $70.0 in Skovde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $391 – 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 46%, 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 $2,813 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,876 in Skovde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 172% 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 Skovde at $1,876. 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.