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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,621 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,542 in Trollhattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,462 in Trollhattan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 23% cheaper than Trollhattan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Trollhattan is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$11.89 SEK 115

0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$83.5 SEK 808

-49.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.66 SEK 103

0.84%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.70 SEK 35.86

-5.41%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.35 SEK 13.10

7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.35 SEK 13.08

-34.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.87 SEK 76.2

-62.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.68 SEK 74.3

-41.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.60 SEK 15.53

-10.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.34 SEK 22.69

-21.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$3.81 SEK 36.87

-58.79%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.96 SEK 38.37

-36.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.88 SEK 115

-30.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$9.68 SEK 93.7

-12.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$14.68 SEK 142

-27.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.25 SEK 31.44

-19.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.57 SEK 24.93

-43.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.48 SEK 33.65

-43.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.60 SEK 34.90

-41.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.15 SEK 20.85

-13.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.93 SEK 18.68

12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.79 SEK 27.06

-63.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.91 SEK 18.50

-43.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$7.80 SEK 75.6

-47.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.33 SEK 80.6

22.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.24 SEK 12.04

35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.70 SEK 16.50

48.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.35 SEK 32.43

-84.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$74.7 SEK 723

-65.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.61 SEK 34.94

-10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.64 SEK 25.52

-8.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$42.80 SEK 414

-92.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.91 SEK 18.49

-30.89%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$32.0K SEK 309.6K

-7.14%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$34.0K SEK 329.6K

-30.50%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$193 SEK 1,867

-57.47%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$29.02 SEK 281

-20.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$31.24 SEK 303

-3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$39.93 SEK 387

30.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$25.30 SEK 245

-26.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$14.73 SEK 143

-66.19%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$159 SEK 1,542

23.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,427 SEK 13.8K

273.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$83.2 SEK 806

-57.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$31.87 SEK 309

26.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$82.8 SEK 801

-4.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$124 SEK 1,202

-28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$641 SEK 6,208

47.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$483 SEK 4,678

-1.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,101 SEK 10.7K

49.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$813 SEK 7,871

48.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,985 SEK 28.9K

35.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,580 SEK 25.0K

150.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$3,206 SEK 31.0K

-79.60%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Trollhattan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $641 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 390% 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 $83.0 in Trollhattan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $333 – 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 29%, 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 $2,431 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,621 in Trollhattan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 187% 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 Trollhattan at $1,621. 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.