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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,582 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,840 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,098 in Stockholm, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 51% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Stockholm is 93% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$16.09 SEK 156

-25.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$110 SEK 1,065

-62.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$11.68 SEK 113

-7.96%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$5.20 SEK 50.3

-32.69%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$3.28 SEK 31.74

-55.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.47 SEK 23.85

-64.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$8.51 SEK 82.3

-65.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$8.31 SEK 80.3

-45.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.80 SEK 17.38

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.41 SEK 32.94

-46.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$4.07 SEK 39.31

-61.43%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$4.70 SEK 45.47

-46.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$12.77 SEK 123

-35.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$13.23 SEK 128

-36.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$19.40 SEK 187

-44.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.60 SEK 34.77

-27.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.90 SEK 28.01

-50.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.38 SEK 32.64

-42.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$4.59 SEK 44.35

-54.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.96 SEK 18.98

-5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.89 SEK 18.23

14.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.52 SEK 24.32

-59.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.61 SEK 15.60

-33.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$8.06 SEK 77.9

-49.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$12.53 SEK 121

-18.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.19 SEK 21.15

-23.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.36 SEK 22.83

7.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$4.55 SEK 44.02

-88.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$112 SEK 1,083

-76.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$6.40 SEK 61.9

-49.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.66 SEK 16.00

45.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$63.3 SEK 612

-94.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.86 SEK 17.97

-29.03%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$33.0K SEK 319.3K

-10.11%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$34.5K SEK 333.9K

-31.50%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$227 SEK 2,196

-63.90%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$29.59 SEK 286

-22.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$42.03 SEK 406

-28.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$46.01 SEK 445

12.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$38.09 SEK 368

-51.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$17.78 SEK 172

-71.99%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$164 SEK 1,587

20.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$6,573 SEK 63.5K

-18.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$97.6 SEK 944

-63.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$49.76 SEK 481

-18.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$120 SEK 1,163

-34.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$202 SEK 1,951

-55.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,566 SEK 15.1K

-39.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

-56.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$2,754 SEK 26.6K

-40.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,801 SEK 17.4K

-32.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$11.8K SEK 113.7K

-65.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$6,496 SEK 62.8K

-0.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$3,643 SEK 35.2K

-82.05%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,566 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 457% 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 $110 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 106%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,873 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $2,582 in Stockholm. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 330% 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 $1,256, than in Stockholm at $2,582. 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.