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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,792 in Solna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,718 in Solna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,643 in Solna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than Solna, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Solna is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$14.86 SEK 144

-19.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$56.6 SEK 548

-26.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.66 SEK 103

0.84%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.94 SEK 47.85

-29.15%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$3.18 SEK 30.76

-54.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.55 SEK 14.99

-43.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.43 SEK 72.0

-60.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.84 SEK 75.9

-42.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.53 SEK 14.82

-6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.68 SEK 25.96

-31.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$3.77 SEK 36.51

-58.36%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.84 SEK 37.19

-34.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.51 SEK 92.1

-12.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$12.50 SEK 121

-32.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$14.81 SEK 143

-27.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.70 SEK 16.49

53.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.16 SEK 20.90

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.62 SEK 25.34

-25.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.13 SEK 30.30

-33.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.61 SEK 15.63

14.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.03 SEK 19.61

6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.31 SEK 22.32

-55.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.08 SEK 10.47

-0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$7.53 SEK 72.9

-45.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.16 SEK 118

-16.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.46 SEK 14.14

15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$0.96 SEK 9.25

163.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$4.51 SEK 43.67

-88.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$102 SEK 984

-74.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.63 SEK 35.12

-11.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.57 SEK 15.23

53.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$85.1 SEK 824

-96.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.91 SEK 18.46

-30.89%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$27.3K SEK 264.3K

8.77%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$30.5K SEK 295.5K

-22.47%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$110 SEK 1,067

-25.57%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$28.28 SEK 274

-18.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$41.42 SEK 401

-27.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$47.03 SEK 455

10.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$25.77 SEK 249

-28.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$15.27 SEK 148

-67.39%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$161 SEK 1,559

22.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,103 SEK 39.7K

30.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$93.9 SEK 909

-62.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$42.75 SEK 414

-5.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$91.9 SEK 890

-14.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$52.9 SEK 512

68.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$845 SEK 8,177

12.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$657 SEK 6,361

-27.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,421 SEK 13.8K

15.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

11.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$6,909 SEK 66.9K

-41.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,895 SEK 28.0K

123.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$3,730 SEK 36.1K

-82.47%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Solna: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $845 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 470% 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 $57.0 in Solna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $320 – 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 43%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,688 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,792 in Solna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 290% 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 $1,256, than in Solna at $1,792. 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.