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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,630 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,558 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,486 in Trollhattan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 20% cheaper than Trollhattan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Trollhattan is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$12.17 SEK 114

-3.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$81.5 SEK 764

-48.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.39 SEK 97.4

2.41%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$3.78 SEK 35.43

-6.88%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$1.34 SEK 12.53

12.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$1.34 SEK 12.55

-27.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$7.80 SEK 73.2

-62.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$8.07 SEK 75.7

-44.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.54 SEK 14.47

-10.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$2.25 SEK 21.10

-16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$3.93 SEK 36.90

-58.27%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$3.99 SEK 37.39

-37.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.16 SEK 114

-31.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.63 SEK 90.3

-13.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$14.64 SEK 137

-26.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$3.19 SEK 29.93

-18.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$2.62 SEK 24.61

-44.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$3.54 SEK 33.23

-46.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$3.59 SEK 33.68

-42.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$2.20 SEK 20.61

-19.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$2.00 SEK 18.73

9.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$2.87 SEK 26.91

-63.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.86 SEK 17.41

-41.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$8.14 SEK 76.3

-49.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$14.27 SEK 134

-27.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$1.29 SEK 12.07

32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$1.67 SEK 15.63

54.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.41 SEK 31.96

-85.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$74.4 SEK 698

-64.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.64 SEK 34.15

-10.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$2.57 SEK 24.07

-3.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$42.85 SEK 402

-92.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.90 SEK 17.82

-31.05%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$32.3K SEK 302.5K

-6.14%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$33.7K SEK 316.2K

-30.51%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$192 SEK 1,798

-56.78%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$28.98 SEK 272

-23.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$31.06 SEK 291

-5.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$40.33 SEK 378

28.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$24.91 SEK 234

-26.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$14.50 SEK 136

-65.03%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$157 SEK 1,473

27.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,401 SEK 13.1K

272.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$84.1 SEK 789

-56.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$31.31 SEK 294

27.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$84.3 SEK 791

-6.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$122 SEK 1,147

-28.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$630 SEK 5,911

54.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$481 SEK 4,511

-2.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,120 SEK 10.5K

46.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$802 SEK 7,523

52.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$4,406 SEK 41.3K

-10.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$2,967 SEK 27.8K

118.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,479 SEK 32.6K

-80.91%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Trollhattan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $630 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 424% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $81.0 in Trollhattan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $345 – 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 26%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,445 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,630 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 $1,297, than in Trollhattan at $1,630. 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.