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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,727 in Sundsvall, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,638 in Sundsvall, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,548 in Sundsvall, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 27% cheaper than Sundsvall, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Sundsvall is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$15.23 SEK 150

-23.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$81.7 SEK 805

-42.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$11.21 SEK 110

5.98%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.79 SEK 47.17

-16.91%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.47 SEK 24.39

-42.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.93 SEK 19.06

-57.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$8.49 SEK 83.7

-62.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.63 SEK 75.2

-11.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.54 SEK 15.17

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.01 SEK 29.63

-26.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.72 SEK 36.70

-54.03%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.33 SEK 32.77

-17.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.00 SEK 98.6

-4.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.99 SEK 98.5

-9.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$17.51 SEK 173

-26.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.81 SEK 27.65

2.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.31 SEK 22.79

-35.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.51 SEK 24.70

-14.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.98 SEK 39.17

-43.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.45 SEK 14.27

36.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.37 SEK 13.50

45.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.87 SEK 18.44

-34.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.00 SEK 9.81

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$7.40 SEK 72.9

-38.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$9.34 SEK 92.1

11.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.76 SEK 17.35

-7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.42 SEK 13.98

102.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$3.30 SEK 32.48

-81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$89.5 SEK 882

-67.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$6.12 SEK 60.3

-11.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$6.33 SEK 62.4

-41.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.82 SEK 17.95

-15.38%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$31.0K SEK 305.9K

-27.36%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$31.2K SEK 307.1K

-16.39%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$102 SEK 1,010

-10.82%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$29.45 SEK 290

-14.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$31.21 SEK 308

0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$42.14 SEK 415

59.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$12.47 SEK 123

133.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$14.55 SEK 143

-66.60%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$141 SEK 1,391

58.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$89.1 SEK 878

-47.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$28.44 SEK 280

55.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$77.9 SEK 767

2.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$134 SEK 1,321

-30.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$681 SEK 6,709

56.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$622 SEK 6,128

-37.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,238 SEK 12.2K

73.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$881 SEK 8,686

44.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,499 SEK 24.6K

60.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,320 SEK 13.0K

392.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,008 SEK 29.6K

-74.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.88

195.10%

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 Sundsvall: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $681 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 297% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $82.0 in Sundsvall. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $321 – 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 Getting Around. 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 $2,590 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,727 in Sundsvall. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 211% 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 Sundsvall at $1,727. 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.