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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,718 in Ystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,721 in Ystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,725 in Ystad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 25% cheaper than Ystad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Ystad is 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$11.41 SEK 106
4.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$91.5 SEK 851
-53.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$10.39 SEK 96.7
1.92%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$3.96 SEK 36.80
-8.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$3.10 SEK 28.87
-52.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$2.61 SEK 24.29
-63.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$6.41 SEK 59.6
-51.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$7.80 SEK 72.6
-42.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.74 SEK 16.20
-17.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$2.90 SEK 26.97
-35.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$3.33 SEK 31.00
-51.05%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$3.07 SEK 28.55
-14.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$11.71 SEK 109
-29.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$9.47 SEK 88.1
-12.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$18.82 SEK 175
-41.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$3.02 SEK 28.08
-12.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$2.77 SEK 25.76
-45.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$2.97 SEK 27.66
-33.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$4.24 SEK 39.45
-50.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$1.75 SEK 16.29
2.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$1.85 SEK 17.25
17.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$2.29 SEK 21.25
-52.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$1.61 SEK 14.93
-35.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$7.84 SEK 72.9
-49.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$11.86 SEK 110
-14.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$2.22 SEK 20.65
-22.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$2.53 SEK 23.53
-1.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$3.36 SEK 31.24
-84.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
$75.0 SEK 697
-64.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$10.10 SEK 93.9
-68.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$1.59 SEK 14.76
50.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$63.4 SEK 589
-95.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$1.89 SEK 17.55
-32.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$26.3K SEK 244.5K
17.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$30.3K SEK 281.8K
-23.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$123 SEK 1,141
-33.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$20.71 SEK 193
8.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$32.03 SEK 298
-7.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$41.24 SEK 384
25.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
$25.56 SEK 238
-26.96%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$12.53 SEK 117
-60.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$177 SEK 1,646
11.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$4,148 SEK 38.6K
27.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$52.9 SEK 492
-31.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$39.47 SEK 367
1.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$94.0 SEK 874
-15.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$156 SEK 1,451
-43.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$852 SEK 7,921
13.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$658 SEK 6,124
-29.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$1,418 SEK 13.2K
12.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$1,071 SEK 9,957
12.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
$4,423 SEK 41.1K
-10.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
$3,203 SEK 29.8K
101.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
$1,996 SEK 18.6K
-63.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4
185.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ystad: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $852 in Ystad. 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 177% higher in Ystad, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $92.0 in Ystad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $353 – 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 Ystad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ystad cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Ystad is pricier by about 34%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,577 in Ystad. 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 Ystad?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,718 in Ystad. 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 178% 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 Ystad?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Ystad at $1,718. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ystad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Ystad 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 Ystad?
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, Ystad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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