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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,631 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,058 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,486 in Stockholm, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 52% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Stockholm is 92% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$18.81 SEK 185

-38.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$104 SEK 1,027

-54.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$12.18 SEK 120

-2.46%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$5.23 SEK 51.5

-23.90%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$3.69 SEK 36.36

-61.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$3.02 SEK 29.80

-72.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$8.33 SEK 82.1

-61.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$9.34 SEK 92.0

-27.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.70 SEK 16.72

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$4.15 SEK 40.91

-46.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.91 SEK 38.50

-56.27%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$5.29 SEK 52.2

-48.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.99 SEK 128

-26.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$13.43 SEK 132

-32.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$22.60 SEK 223

-43.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.64 SEK 35.89

-20.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.84 SEK 27.94

-47.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.29 SEK 32.41

-34.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.50 SEK 44.32

-49.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.74 SEK 17.13

13.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.77 SEK 17.46

12.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.46 SEK 24.27

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.35 SEK 23.17

-48.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$8.87 SEK 87.4

-48.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$12.24 SEK 121

-15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.09 SEK 20.61

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.58 SEK 25.47

11.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$4.34 SEK 42.77

-86.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$107 SEK 1,058

-73.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.96 SEK 58.7

-9.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.55 SEK 15.25

140.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$57.2 SEK 563

-89.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.79 SEK 17.64

-13.97%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$34.4K SEK 339.1K

-34.47%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$35.3K SEK 347.8K

-26.17%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$264 SEK 2,602

-65.40%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$21.83 SEK 215

15.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$41.49 SEK 409

-24.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$47.66 SEK 470

41.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$39.48 SEK 389

-26.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$19.15 SEK 189

-74.62%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$166 SEK 1,637

34.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$17.0K SEK 167.9K

-75.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$114 SEK 1,126

-58.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$60.4 SEK 595

-26.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$138 SEK 1,363

-42.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$189 SEK 1,864

-51.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,771 SEK 17.4K

-39.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,072 SEK 10.6K

-63.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$3,181 SEK 31.3K

-32.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,881 SEK 18.5K

-32.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$11.8K SEK 116.3K

-66.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$6,814 SEK 67.2K

-4.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,595 SEK 35.4K

-78.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.37

239.76%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,771 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 374% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $104 in Stockholm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $427 – 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 108%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,946 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $2,631 in Stockholm. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 273% 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 $1,266, than in Stockholm at $2,631. 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.