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 $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,789 in Stenungsund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,786 in Stenungsund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,784 in Stenungsund, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$209

$13.16 SEK 128

-9.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$734

$67.9 SEK 659

-38.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$9.33 SEK 90.6

11.68%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.5

$4.52 SEK 43.88

-22.35%

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

$1.52 MX$26.53

$1.60 SEK 15.58

-5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.93

$2.47 SEK 23.98

-63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.2

$7.26 SEK 70.5

-58.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.5

$7.17 SEK 69.6

-39.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.86

$1.50 SEK 14.59

-5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$32.03

$3.17 SEK 30.80

-42.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.60

$3.93 SEK 38.14

-58.52%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.43

$4.02 SEK 39.04

-36.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

$14.03 SEK 136

-38.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$149

$11.92 SEK 116

-28.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

$15.56 SEK 151

-30.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.19

$3.54 SEK 34.42

-22.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.13

$2.71 SEK 26.36

-46.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.00

$1.56 SEK 15.14

21.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.96

$5.88 SEK 57.1

-63.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.13

$1.55 SEK 15.09

14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.91

$2.09 SEK 20.29

6.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$2.66 SEK 25.84

-59.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.89

$1.75 SEK 17.04

-38.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$7.53 SEK 73.1

-44.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

$8.21 SEK 79.7

27.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.50

$1.73 SEK 16.83

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.16

$1.91 SEK 18.53

35.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.98

$2.62 SEK 25.46

-80.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$454

$73.8 SEK 716

-64.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.2

$5.75 SEK 55.9

-44.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.78

$1.61 SEK 15.61

55.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.7

$21.44 SEK 208

-85.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.98

$1.98 SEK 19.24

-36.36%

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

$29.7K MX$519.3K

$32.9K SEK 319.9K

-9.86%

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

$23.7K MX$414.3K

$33.9K SEK 329.2K

-30.13%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$91.1 SEK 885

-9.99%

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

$22.73 MX$398

$27.93 SEK 271

-18.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$515

$36.03 SEK 350

-18.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$913

$41.16 SEK 400

26.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$323

$25.68 SEK 249

-28.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.3

$15.97 SEK 155

-69.13%

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

$202 MX$3,530

$143 SEK 1,389

41.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.3K

$749 SEK 7,273

596.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$629

$106 SEK 1,026

-65.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$706

$44.56 SEK 433

-9.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,397

$114 SEK 1,109

-30.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,562

$158 SEK 1,536

-43.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

$843 SEK 8,184

12.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,140

$658 SEK 6,389

-29.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

$1,407 SEK 13.7K

15.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.9K

$1,071 SEK 10.4K

11.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.8K

$4,497 SEK 43.7K

-12.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.4K

$3,089 SEK 30.0K

108.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$1,977 SEK 19.2K

-66.71%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Stenungsund: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $843 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 200% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $68.0 in Stenungsund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $366 – 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 42%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,684 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $1,789 in Stenungsund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 184% 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 $1,259, than in Stenungsund at $1,789. 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.