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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,909 in Stenungsund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,961 in Stenungsund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,014 in Stenungsund, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 32% cheaper than Stenungsund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Stenungsund is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$14.15 SEK 137

-15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$67.2 SEK 651

-29.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$9.23 SEK 89.5

27.30%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$4.39 SEK 42.57

-6.15%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.58 SEK 15.36

-11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$2.29 SEK 22.16

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$7.14 SEK 69.3

-55.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.18 SEK 69.6

-1.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.48 SEK 14.33

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.23 SEK 31.31

-33.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$5.60 SEK 54.3

-68.39%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$4.96 SEK 48.07

-43.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$14.15 SEK 137

-34.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$13.41 SEK 130

-31.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$17.74 SEK 172

-28.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.22 SEK 31.19

-8.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.70 SEK 26.16

-41.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.13 SEK 20.60

4.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.94 SEK 47.93

-52.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.49 SEK 14.41

33.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.84 SEK 17.84

7.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.30 SEK 22.31

-46.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.88 SEK 18.18

-35.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$7.34 SEK 71.2

-37.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.38 SEK 81.2

25.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.04 SEK 19.78

-17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.27 SEK 22.03

22.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$2.54 SEK 24.65

-76.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$79.4 SEK 770

-62.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$13.32 SEK 129

-60.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.05 SEK 19.85

78.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$84.3 SEK 817

-93.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.84 SEK 17.79

-16.30%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$34.6K SEK 335.7K

-34.16%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$34.5K SEK 334.7K

-25.24%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$180 SEK 1,743

-49.58%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$27.27 SEK 264

-7.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$48.86 SEK 474

-35.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$39.05 SEK 379

76.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$26.37 SEK 256

11.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$16.75 SEK 162

-70.99%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$223 SEK 2,161

1.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$5,145 SEK 49.9K

-18.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$104 SEK 1,007

-54.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$55.0 SEK 533

-20.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$99.4 SEK 963

-19.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$224 SEK 2,172

-59.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$937 SEK 9,085

15.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$532 SEK 5,162

-23.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,306 SEK 12.7K

51.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,196 SEK 11.6K

7.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$3,674 SEK 35.6K

10.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$2,799 SEK 27.1K

139.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,998 SEK 19.4K

-61.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.2

257.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Stenungsund: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $937 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 158% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $67.0 in Stenungsund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $389 – 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 46%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,863 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,909 in Stenungsund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 167% 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 $1,305, than in Stenungsund at $1,909. 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.