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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,505 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,800 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,096 in Stockholm, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 48% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Stockholm is 87% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$16.12 SEK 151

-27.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$112 SEK 1,052

-62.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$11.58 SEK 109

-8.12%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.08 SEK 47.72

-30.71%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$3.30 SEK 30.99

-54.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$2.50 SEK 23.51

-61.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$8.67 SEK 81.5

-65.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$8.30 SEK 78.0

-46.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.72 SEK 16.14

-19.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.46 SEK 32.50

-45.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.99 SEK 37.52

-58.90%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$4.72 SEK 44.30

-46.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$13.03 SEK 122

-35.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$12.91 SEK 121

-35.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$19.56 SEK 184

-45.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.62 SEK 33.96

-28.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.83 SEK 26.54

-48.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.39 SEK 31.83

-43.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$4.60 SEK 43.17

-54.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.90 SEK 17.82

-6.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.88 SEK 17.66

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.60 SEK 24.43

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.61 SEK 15.08

-32.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$7.82 SEK 73.5

-47.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$12.85 SEK 121

-19.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.16 SEK 20.29

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.24 SEK 21.09

15.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$4.57 SEK 42.88

-88.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$110 SEK 1,035

-75.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$6.27 SEK 58.9

-48.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.57 SEK 14.77

58.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$62.5 SEK 587

-94.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.82 SEK 17.09

-28.02%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$33.0K SEK 309.6K

-8.14%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$35.4K SEK 332.7K

-33.84%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$229 SEK 2,148

-63.76%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$28.82 SEK 271

-22.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$41.69 SEK 392

-29.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$46.58 SEK 438

10.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$38.46 SEK 361

-52.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$17.65 SEK 166

-71.27%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$165 SEK 1,552

21.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$6,662 SEK 62.6K

-21.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$97.4 SEK 915

-62.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$49.44 SEK 464

-19.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$117 SEK 1,097

-32.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$204 SEK 1,920

-57.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$1,589 SEK 14.9K

-38.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$1,107 SEK 10.4K

-57.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,769 SEK 26.0K

-40.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,805 SEK 17.0K

-32.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$12.2K SEK 115.0K

-67.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$6,689 SEK 62.8K

-2.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,779 SEK 35.5K

-82.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.16

174.52%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,589 in Stockholm. 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 469% higher in Stockholm, 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 $112 in Stockholm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $401 – 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 Stockholm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stockholm is pricier by about 93%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,758 in Stockholm. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $2,505 in Stockholm. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 316% 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 $1,297, than in Stockholm at $2,505. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm 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, Stockholm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.