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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,766 in Stenungsund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,745 in Stenungsund, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,724 in Stenungsund, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 28% cheaper than Stenungsund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Stenungsund is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$13.42 SEK 127

-11.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$69.4 SEK 658

-38.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$9.26 SEK 87.8

15.01%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$4.66 SEK 44.16

-25.97%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$1.57 SEK 14.84

-4.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$2.43 SEK 23.04

-60.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$7.51 SEK 71.2

-59.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$7.23 SEK 68.6

-36.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.52 SEK 14.40

-9.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.05 SEK 28.92

-39.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$4.02 SEK 38.16

-59.95%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$3.87 SEK 36.67

-33.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$13.84 SEK 131

-40.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$11.80 SEK 112

-29.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$15.80 SEK 150

-32.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$3.49 SEK 33.05

-24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$2.61 SEK 24.79

-42.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$1.59 SEK 15.08

20.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$5.69 SEK 53.9

-63.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$1.49 SEK 14.15

24.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$2.14 SEK 20.29

5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$2.77 SEK 26.26

-61.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$1.70 SEK 16.11

-35.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$7.33 SEK 69.5

-43.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$8.41 SEK 79.7

23.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$1.72 SEK 16.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$1.87 SEK 17.75

39.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$2.66 SEK 25.22

-79.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$75.1 SEK 712

-64.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$5.62 SEK 53.3

-44.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$1.67 SEK 15.80

50.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$21.18 SEK 201

-85.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.92 SEK 18.17

-33.85%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$32.9K SEK 312.1K

-7.71%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$34.8K SEK 329.7K

-32.23%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$91.0 SEK 862

-8.75%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$28.43 SEK 270

-20.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$37.33 SEK 354

-21.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$39.99 SEK 379

27.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$25.63 SEK 243

-28.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$15.83 SEK 150

-68.86%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$144 SEK 1,369

36.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$738 SEK 7,000

615.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$103 SEK 977

-64.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$44.24 SEK 419

-9.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$114 SEK 1,079

-29.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$153 SEK 1,446

-41.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$835 SEK 7,922

14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$651 SEK 6,177

-26.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$1,378 SEK 13.1K

19.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$1,075 SEK 10.2K

13.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$4,708 SEK 44.6K

-16.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$2,916 SEK 27.7K

121.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$2,055 SEK 19.5K

-67.54%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Stenungsund: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $835 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 208% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.0 in Stenungsund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $363 – 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 39%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,649 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,766 in Stenungsund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 179% 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 $1,271, than in Stenungsund at $1,766. 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.