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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,607 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,529 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,451 in Trollhattan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 21% cheaper than Trollhattan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Trollhattan is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$12.03 SEK 111

-3.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$80.4 SEK 739

-46.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$10.32 SEK 94.9

2.71%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.67 SEK 33.74

-2.18%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$1.35 SEK 12.43

7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$1.34 SEK 12.28

-32.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$7.52 SEK 69.1

-59.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$8.06 SEK 74.1

-43.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$1.52 SEK 14.01

-4.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$2.28 SEK 20.91

-19.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$3.75 SEK 34.46

-57.07%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$3.90 SEK 35.86

-34.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$11.90 SEK 109

-28.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$9.40 SEK 86.4

-9.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$15.02 SEK 138

-27.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$3.19 SEK 29.35

-14.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$2.56 SEK 23.50

-41.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$3.60 SEK 33.08

-46.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$3.76 SEK 34.56

-42.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$2.11 SEK 19.43

-12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$2.02 SEK 18.52

8.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$2.85 SEK 26.16

-62.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$1.83 SEK 16.85

-40.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$7.87 SEK 72.4

-48.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$10.67 SEK 98.1

-1.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$1.26 SEK 11.56

30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$1.71 SEK 15.67

49.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$3.39 SEK 31.16

-83.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

$73.7 SEK 677

-64.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$3.60 SEK 33.11

-12.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$2.58 SEK 23.71

-8.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$42.49 SEK 390

-92.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$1.96 SEK 18.01

-33.16%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$33.2K SEK 305.0K

-7.99%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$33.7K SEK 310.1K

-29.41%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$188 SEK 1,727

-55.77%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$28.33 SEK 260

-21.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$31.12 SEK 286

-5.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$40.37 SEK 371

26.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

$25.06 SEK 230

-25.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$14.66 SEK 135

-66.64%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$155 SEK 1,429

27.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$1,413 SEK 13.0K

268.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$85.0 SEK 782

-57.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$31.19 SEK 287

26.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$85.1 SEK 782

-5.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$125 SEK 1,152

-30.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$624 SEK 5,732

54.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$468 SEK 4,298

3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$1,116 SEK 10.3K

47.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$828 SEK 7,606

44.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$2,705 SEK 24.9K

46.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$2,335 SEK 21.5K

178.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$3,521 SEK 32.4K

-79.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.2

171.90%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Trollhattan: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $624 in Trollhattan. 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 385% higher in Trollhattan, 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $80 in Trollhattan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $336 – 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 Trollhattan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Trollhattan is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,411 in Trollhattan. 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 $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $1,607 in Trollhattan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 181% 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 $1,262, than in Trollhattan at $1,607. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trollhattan 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, Trollhattan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.