Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Stenungsund

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,887 in Stenungsund, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Stenungsund, Sweden
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Stenungsund
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,887
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Stenungsund

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Stenungsund actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,887 in Stenungsund, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Stenungsund $1,887

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,880 in Stenungsund, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Stenungsund $2,880

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,872 in Stenungsund, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Stenungsund $3,872

Playa del Carmen is about 36% cheaper than Stenungsund, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Stenungsund is 39% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Stenungsund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$14.02 SEK 139
-22.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$66.8 SEK 664
-35.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$8.64 SEK 85.8
36.34%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$4.40 SEK 43.67
-13.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$1.47 SEK 14.60
-12.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$2.22 SEK 22.03
-64.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$7.03 SEK 69.9
-54.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
$6.89 SEK 68.5
-28.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Stenungsund
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.43 SEK 14.21
-1.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
$3.15 SEK 31.26
-29.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$5.60 SEK 55.7
-74.64%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
$5.23 SEK 51.9
-51.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$13.62 SEK 135
-46.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$13.38 SEK 133
-42.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$16.96 SEK 168
-25.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$3.24 SEK 32.14
-14.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
$2.67 SEK 26.49
-48.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
$2.05 SEK 20.39
24.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
$4.62 SEK 45.91
-54.11%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
$1.43 SEK 14.19
35.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
$1.74 SEK 17.32
8.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
$2.26 SEK 22.44
-49.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
$1.82 SEK 18.04
-35.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
$7.35 SEK 73.0
-41.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$8.14 SEK 80.8
22.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
$2.00 SEK 19.89
-21.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
$2.21 SEK 21.93
20.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Stenungsund
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$2.57 SEK 25.52
-78.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
$77.9 SEK 773
-65.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$13.37 SEK 133
-62.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$2.05 SEK 20.41
62.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$81.3 SEK 808
-93.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
$1.76 SEK 17.48
-18.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
$32.7K SEK 324.5K
-36.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
$33.8K SEK 335.9K
-30.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Stenungsund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
$178 SEK 1,768
-52.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$28.89 SEK 287
-18.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$47.61 SEK 473
-39.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Stenungsund
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$37.19 SEK 369
53.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$26.84 SEK 267
7.71%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
$17.15 SEK 170
-70.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Stenungsund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
$219 SEK 2,176
-5.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
$5,035 SEK 50.0K
-22.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Stenungsund
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$98.0 SEK 973
-55.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$53.0 SEK 527
-21.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
$95.1 SEK 944
-21.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
$218 SEK 2,169
-59.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Stenungsund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
$813 SEK 8,071
20.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
$606 SEK 6,014
-37.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$1,378 SEK 13.7K
23.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$1,002 SEK 9,947
7.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$3,961 SEK 39.3K
-0.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
$2,832 SEK 28.1K
117.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Stenungsund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$1,935 SEK 19.2K
-62.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
2.8
308.93%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Stenungsund: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Stenungsund
$606 59% $225
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Stenungsund
$381 49.4% $126
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Stenungsund
$255 25.8% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Stenungsund
$254 86% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Stenungsund
$209 87.1% $97
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Stenungsund
$72 6.2% $4.2
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Stenungsund
$112 122% $61

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $813 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 in Stenungsund are about 2.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $67 in Stenungsund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $381 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇸🇪 Stenungsund
🕒 Local time
16:06 4:06 PM
22:06 10:06 PM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
27,842
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.93 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.06 SEK (100 SEK = 9.05 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Stenungsund 8,580 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Stenungsund

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Stenungsund?
Yes – Stenungsund is pricier by about 57%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,831 in Stenungsund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Stenungsund, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $813 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Stenungsund?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,887 in Stenungsund. That makes Playa del Carmen about 36% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 66% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Stenungsund?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Stenungsund at $1,887. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stenungsund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Stenungsund?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,887 in Stenungsund. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stenungsund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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