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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,823 in Stenungsund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,802 in Stenungsund, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,781 in Stenungsund, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Stenungsund is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$12.97 SEK 119

-10.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$68.9 SEK 634

-39.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$8.98 SEK 82.6

15.81%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$4.51 SEK 41.47

-19.96%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.56 SEK 14.32

-5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$2.41 SEK 22.16

-62.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$7.18 SEK 66.1

-57.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$7.17 SEK 66.0

-37.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.45 SEK 13.38

-4.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$3.08 SEK 28.29

-40.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$3.92 SEK 36.03

-58.93%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$3.94 SEK 36.21

-34.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$13.93 SEK 128

-39.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$11.94 SEK 110

-28.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$15.85 SEK 146

-30.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$3.61 SEK 33.17

-24.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$2.58 SEK 23.78

-41.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.54 SEK 14.19

27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$5.59 SEK 51.4

-62.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.51 SEK 13.90

23.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.10 SEK 19.31

3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$2.78 SEK 25.60

-61.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$1.75 SEK 16.10

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$7.60 SEK 69.9

-44.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$8.87 SEK 81.6

15.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.71 SEK 15.78

-2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.96 SEK 18.06

27.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$2.71 SEK 24.98

-80.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$73.6 SEK 677

-64.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$5.66 SEK 52.1

-45.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$1.59 SEK 14.62

54.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$21.22 SEK 195

-84.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.98 SEK 18.26

-36.36%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$32.2K SEK 296.5K

-6.38%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$34.0K SEK 312.9K

-31.07%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$89.5 SEK 824

-6.17%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$27.93 SEK 257

-20.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$36.86 SEK 339

-19.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$40.19 SEK 370

30.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$25.02 SEK 230

-26.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$15.67 SEK 144

-68.41%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$145 SEK 1,333

36.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$729 SEK 6,705

630.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$107 SEK 983

-66.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$43.62 SEK 401

-8.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$118 SEK 1,088

-33.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$158 SEK 1,451

-45.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$827 SEK 7,609

18.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$650 SEK 5,984

-27.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$1,390 SEK 12.8K

14.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$1,085 SEK 9,982

11.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$3,926 SEK 36.1K

2.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$3,398 SEK 31.3K

93.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$2,123 SEK 19.5K

-66.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.53

152.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Stenungsund: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $827 in Stenungsund. 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 197% higher in Stenungsund, 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $69 in Stenungsund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $364 – 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 Stenungsund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stenungsund is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,735 in Stenungsund. 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $1,823 in Stenungsund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 180% 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 $1,261, than in Stenungsund at $1,823. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stenungsund 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, Stenungsund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.