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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,743 in Visby, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,773 in Visby, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,804 in Visby, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 28% cheaper than Visby, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% 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
$11.72 MX$203
$10.48 SEK 99.6
11.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89 MX$725
$95.0 SEK 902
-55.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.51 MX$182
$9.28 SEK 88.2
13.25%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.0
$3.02 SEK 28.72
18.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.10
$3.24 SEK 30.74
-53.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 MX$15.83
$2.74 SEK 26.07
-66.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 MX$51.2
$7.63 SEK 72.5
-61.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 MX$76.3
$4.17 SEK 39.64
5.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 MX$24.16
$1.54 SEK 14.61
-9.09%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.60
$2.72 SEK 25.87
-30.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 MX$26.97
$3.18 SEK 30.19
-50.94%
Eggs
$2.61 MX$45.14
$4.03 SEK 38.24
-35.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.32 MX$144
$10.75 SEK 102
-22.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.35 MX$145
$12.10 SEK 115
-30.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$188
$18.87 SEK 179
-42.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 MX$46.93
$3.13 SEK 29.71
-13.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$26.04
$2.58 SEK 24.54
-41.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.41
$3.11 SEK 29.56
-39.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$37.89
$3.72 SEK 35.35
-41.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.14
$1.81 SEK 17.15
2.76%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.59
$1.74 SEK 16.55
28.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.48
$2.93 SEK 27.86
-63.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.79
$1.19 SEK 11.27
-8.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.4
$5.95 SEK 56.6
-29.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.43 MX$180
$12.24 SEK 116
-14.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 MX$28.68
$2.36 SEK 22.39
-29.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$45.19
$1.88 SEK 17.89
38.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$3.22 SEK 30.63
-83.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.16 MX$453
$49.23 SEK 468
-46.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 MX$53.3
$3.66 SEK 34.74
-15.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$41.61
$1.19 SEK 11.28
101.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$54.1
$86.0 SEK 817
-96.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.69
$1.90 SEK 18.04
-31.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K MX$515.7K
$32.4K SEK 307.7K
-7.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$403.5K
$34.8K SEK 330.6K
-32.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.3 MX$1,406
$190 SEK 1,807
-57.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56 MX$390
$28.67 SEK 272
-21.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05 MX$520
$41.87 SEK 398
-28.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.9 MX$915
$48.15 SEK 457
9.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$318
$41.52 SEK 394
-55.71%
Cinema Ticket
$4.92 MX$85.1
$14.92 SEK 142
-67.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,474
$159 SEK 1,508
26.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,175 MX$89.5K
$4,205 SEK 39.9K
23.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92 MX$622
$96.2 SEK 914
-62.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13 MX$694
$43.03 SEK 409
-6.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.7 MX$1,379
$93.2 SEK 885
-14.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,496
$121 SEK 1,151
-28.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$978 MX$16.9K
$764 SEK 7,261
27.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$470 MX$8,140
$584 SEK 5,546
-19.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,651 MX$28.6K
$1,465 SEK 13.9K
12.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,203 MX$20.8K
$1,046 SEK 9,937
15.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,953 MX$68.4K
$4,341 SEK 41.2K
-8.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,607 MX$114.3K
$3,097 SEK 29.4K
113.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Visby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$677 MX$11.7K
$2,535 SEK 24.1K
-73.31%
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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Visby: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $764 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 275% 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 $95.0 in Visby. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $358 – 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 38%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,614 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 and in Visby?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,743 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 88% 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Visby?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Visby at $1,743. 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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