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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,750 in Visby, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,770 in Visby, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,790 in Visby, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Visby is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$202
$10.40 SEK 97.3
12.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$719
$95.8 SEK 896
-56.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.41 MX$179
$9.30 SEK 87.0
11.94%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.1
$3.20 SEK 29.89
12.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 MX$25.06
$3.21 SEK 30.04
-54.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$16.70
$2.88 SEK 26.98
-66.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 MX$50.3
$7.79 SEK 72.8
-62.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62 MX$79.5
$4.29 SEK 40.14
7.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.59
$1.59 SEK 14.90
-10.06%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 MX$32.70
$2.61 SEK 24.42
-27.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$26.95
$3.18 SEK 29.73
-50.63%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$45.34
$3.97 SEK 37.18
-33.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.44 MX$145
$10.66 SEK 99.7
-20.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.58 MX$148
$12.15 SEK 114
-29.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.00 MX$189
$18.19 SEK 170
-39.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 MX$46.51
$3.10 SEK 29.02
-12.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$25.92
$2.57 SEK 24.08
-41.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.91 MX$32.93
$3.20 SEK 29.95
-40.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.37
$3.64 SEK 34.01
-40.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.25
$1.81 SEK 16.91
3.31%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.43
$1.74 SEK 16.24
28.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.60
$2.92 SEK 27.35
-63.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.47
$1.13 SEK 10.54
-5.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16 MX$71.6
$6.18 SEK 57.8
-32.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.29 MX$177
$12.81 SEK 120
-19.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$28.95
$2.38 SEK 22.27
-29.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.59
$1.83 SEK 17.08
38.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$9.53
$3.07 SEK 28.75
-82.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.29 MX$452
$49.98 SEK 468
-47.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$3.66 SEK 34.26
-12.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.37
$1.18 SEK 11.07
108.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$83.6 SEK 782
-96.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$22.72
$1.89 SEK 17.71
-30.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$518.8K
$32.5K SEK 303.9K
-7.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$402.5K
$34.5K SEK 322.9K
-32.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.4 MX$1,400
$191 SEK 1,785
-57.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.41 MX$386
$28.99 SEK 271
-22.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.97 MX$516
$41.04 SEK 384
-26.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$887
$49.40 SEK 462
4.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$316
$42.80 SEK 400
-57.03%
Cinema Ticket
$5.16 MX$88.9
$14.51 SEK 136
-64.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$202 MX$3,471
$161 SEK 1,506
25.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,311 MX$91.4K
$4,061 SEK 38.0K
30.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.61 MX$613
$94.4 SEK 883
-62.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.37 MX$695
$42.47 SEK 397
-4.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.6 MX$1,353
$90.5 SEK 847
-13.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.9 MX$1,495
$121 SEK 1,136
-28.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$950 MX$16.3K
$767 SEK 7,178
23.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$478 MX$8,227
$580 SEK 5,421
-17.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 MX$27.9K
$1,480 SEK 13.8K
9.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 MX$21.0K
$1,065 SEK 9,965
14.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,009 MX$69.0K
$3,779 SEK 35.3K
6.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,473 MX$111.4K
$3,004 SEK 28.1K
115.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$673 MX$11.6K
$2,714 SEK 25.4K
-75.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.87
134.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Visby: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $767 in Visby. 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 303% higher in Visby, 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 $96.0 in Visby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $355 – 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 Visby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Visby cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Visby is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,624 in Visby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Visby?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,750 in Visby. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 90% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Visby?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Visby at $1,750. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Visby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Visby more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Visby?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Visby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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