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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,773 in Solna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,691 in Solna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,610 in Solna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 27% cheaper than Solna, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Solna is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$14.78 SEK 139

-20.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$56.1 SEK 527

-25.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.42 SEK 97.9

2.11%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.02 SEK 47.18

-29.88%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$3.19 SEK 30.01

-52.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.51 SEK 14.19

-35.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$7.63 SEK 71.7

-61.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$8.13 SEK 76.3

-45.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.56 SEK 14.62

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.67 SEK 25.07

-29.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.78 SEK 35.48

-56.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.92 SEK 36.85

-35.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.56 SEK 89.8

-12.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$12.28 SEK 115

-32.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.88 SEK 140

-27.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.66 SEK 15.56

56.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.16 SEK 20.26

-32.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.60 SEK 24.44

-26.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.19 SEK 29.94

-34.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.55 SEK 14.53

14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.04 SEK 19.14

7.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.35 SEK 22.04

-55.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.11 SEK 10.45

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$7.55 SEK 70.9

-45.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$14.78 SEK 139

-30.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.40 SEK 13.16

22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$0.91 SEK 8.54

183.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$4.54 SEK 42.68

-88.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$100 SEK 943

-73.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.78 SEK 35.47

-13.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.58 SEK 14.84

57.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$85.5 SEK 803

-96.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.96 SEK 18.38

-33.16%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$27.2K SEK 255.4K

11.38%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$30.1K SEK 283.1K

-22.25%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$109 SEK 1,021

-23.78%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$28.80 SEK 271

-22.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$41.35 SEK 388

-29.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$47.03 SEK 442

9.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$25.68 SEK 241

-28.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$15.01 SEK 141

-66.22%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$157 SEK 1,477

27.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$4,218 SEK 39.6K

23.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$93.5 SEK 879

-60.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$42.46 SEK 399

-6.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$93.7 SEK 880

-16.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$52.5 SEK 493

65.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$840 SEK 7,894

15.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$657 SEK 6,171

-28.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,416 SEK 13.3K

15.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,090 SEK 10.2K

11.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$7,167 SEK 67.3K

-44.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$5,298 SEK 49.8K

22.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,958 SEK 37.2K

-83.23%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Solna: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $840 in Solna. 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 496% higher in Solna, 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 $56.0 in Solna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $325 – 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 Solna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Solna is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,659 in Solna. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,773 in Solna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 279% 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 $1,297, than in Solna at $1,773. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Solna 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, Solna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.