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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,851 in Skovde, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,865 in Skovde, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,879 in Skovde, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than Skovde, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Skovde is 39% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$16.02 SEK 153

-26.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$68.4 SEK 656

-38.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$11.80 SEK 113

-11.78%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$4.78 SEK 45.80

-24.48%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$2.78 SEK 26.60

-47.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.19 SEK 20.98

-55.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$8.66 SEK 83.0

-66.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$8.46 SEK 81.1

-45.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.66 SEK 15.88

-13.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$2.78 SEK 26.64

-31.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$4.46 SEK 42.71

-64.80%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$5.16 SEK 49.41

-48.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$12.22 SEK 117

-30.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$14.00 SEK 134

-38.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$17.36 SEK 166

-36.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$3.79 SEK 36.29

-28.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$2.76 SEK 26.48

-45.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$3.56 SEK 34.15

-46.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$5.05 SEK 48.37

-57.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$1.58 SEK 15.15

18.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$1.84 SEK 17.59

21.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$2.62 SEK 25.10

-58.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.30 SEK 12.46

-17.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$8.02 SEK 76.9

-48.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$8.39 SEK 80.4

22.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$2.41 SEK 23.08

-30.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$2.63 SEK 25.22

-3.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$3.68 SEK 35.30

-85.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

$74.0 SEK 709

-64.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$5.64 SEK 54.0

-43.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$1.57 SEK 15.09

56.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$63.9 SEK 612

-94.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$1.99 SEK 19.09

-33.67%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$32.7K SEK 313.3K

-7.77%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$34.5K SEK 330.7K

-32.21%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$113 SEK 1,084

-28.08%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$29.30 SEK 281

-23.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$43.67 SEK 418

-31.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$40.91 SEK 392

26.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$25.55 SEK 245

-28.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$19.82 SEK 190

-73.97%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$145 SEK 1,387

39.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$5,615 SEK 53.8K

-5.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$88.5 SEK 848

-59.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$40.87 SEK 392

-1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$98.8 SEK 946

-20.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$161 SEK 1,544

-46.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$836 SEK 8,012

13.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$662 SEK 6,341

-27.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$1,371 SEK 13.1K

18.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$1,066 SEK 10.2K

14.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$4,394 SEK 42.1K

-8.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$2,946 SEK 28.2K

119.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

$3,583 SEK 34.3K

-81.22%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Skovde: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 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.

Salaries run about 432% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $68.0 in Skovde. 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 Skovde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skovde is pricier by about 43%, 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 $2,776 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,851 in Skovde. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 182% 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 Skovde at $1,851. 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.