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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,709 in Sundsvall, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,635 in Sundsvall, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,561 in Sundsvall, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 26% cheaper than Sundsvall, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Sundsvall is 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$12.59 SEK 120

-6.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$84.3 SEK 802

-50.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.58 SEK 101

-0.66%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$4.41 SEK 41.94

-18.59%

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

$1.51 MX$26.13

$2.46 SEK 23.43

-38.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$2.07 SEK 19.65

-55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$7.82 SEK 74.3

-62.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$8.05 SEK 76.5

-45.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$1.59 SEK 15.14

-11.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$3.32 SEK 31.55

-43.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$3.74 SEK 35.59

-58.29%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.20

$3.54 SEK 33.63

-26.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.16 SEK 96.6

-18.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$10.15 SEK 96.6

-17.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$18.00 SEK 171

-39.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$2.84 SEK 26.99

-4.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$2.49 SEK 23.64

-39.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$2.57 SEK 24.40

-27.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.94

$4.05 SEK 38.49

-45.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.18

$1.50 SEK 14.31

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$1.48 SEK 14.06

50.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$1.79 SEK 17.07

-40.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.98 SEK 9.36

11.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.5

$7.93 SEK 75.4

-47.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$9.23 SEK 87.7

13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$1.69 SEK 16.09

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

$1.49 SEK 14.22

75.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$3.34 SEK 31.75

-83.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$86.3 SEK 821

-69.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$6.15 SEK 58.4

-49.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.66

$1.23 SEK 11.69

95.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$60.9 SEK 579

-94.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$1.96 SEK 18.61

-33.16%

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

$29.8K MX$516.4K

$26.7K SEK 253.9K

11.64%

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$27.2K SEK 258.2K

-14.11%

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$134 SEK 1,271

-39.18%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$30.26 SEK 288

-25.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$26.20 SEK 249

14.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$38.70 SEK 368

36.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$25.45 SEK 242

-27.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.2

$14.74 SEK 140

-66.62%

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

$201 MX$3,479

$146 SEK 1,384

38.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$4,124 SEK 39.2K

25.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$95.6 SEK 909

-62.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$29.87 SEK 284

34.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$75.1 SEK 714

6.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$134 SEK 1,276

-35.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$832 SEK 7,909

17.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

$624 SEK 5,936

-24.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,177 SEK 11.2K

40.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$894 SEK 8,502

34.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

$2,504 SEK 23.8K

57.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

$1,306 SEK 12.4K

405.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$3,078 SEK 29.3K

-78.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.48

154.91%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sundsvall: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $832 in Sundsvall. 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 355% higher in Sundsvall, 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 $84.0 in Sundsvall. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $329 – 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 Sundsvall: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sundsvall is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,564 in Sundsvall. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,709 in Sundsvall. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 230% 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 $1,260, than in Sundsvall at $1,709. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sundsvall 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, Sundsvall makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.