Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ystad

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,646 in Ystad, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Ystad, Sweden
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Ystad
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,646
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Ystad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Ystad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,646 in Ystad, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Ystad $1,646

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,592 in Ystad, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Ystad $2,592

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,538 in Ystad, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Ystad $3,538

Playa del Carmen is about 27% cheaper than Ystad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Ystad is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$12.15 SEK 119
-10.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$815
$86.1 SEK 846
-49.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$10.23 SEK 100
15.15%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.6
$3.06 SEK 30.07
24.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.10
$2.98 SEK 29.27
-57.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.71
$2.27 SEK 22.27
-65.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$6.99 SEK 68.7
-54.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$7.39 SEK 72.5
-33.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.43
$1.71 SEK 16.75
-17.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.66
$2.80 SEK 27.49
-20.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.64
$3.15 SEK 30.89
-54.92%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.41
$3.10 SEK 30.41
-18.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$137
$11.51 SEK 113
-36.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$145
$8.84 SEK 86.9
-12.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$239
$16.46 SEK 162
-22.90%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$2.99 SEK 29.37
-7.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.71
$2.44 SEK 23.99
-43.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.94
$2.93 SEK 28.81
-12.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
$4.52 SEK 44.34
-53.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
$1.54 SEK 15.15
25.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.44
$1.70 SEK 16.65
11.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.55
$1.96 SEK 19.20
-41.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.16
$1.66 SEK 16.28
-28.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.7
$8.19 SEK 80.4
-47.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$12.05 SEK 118
-17.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.76
$2.05 SEK 20.12
-22.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.2
$2.28 SEK 22.43
17.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.40
$3.36 SEK 32.97
-83.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$79.1 SEK 776
-66.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.4
$6.05 SEK 59.4
-17.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.6
$1.74 SEK 17.08
91.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$59.2 SEK 581
-90.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.14
$1.77 SEK 17.38
-18.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.4K
$29.9K SEK 293.7K
-30.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$441.0K
$33.3K SEK 327.0K
-29.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,594
$105 SEK 1,030
-19.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$440
$19.69 SEK 193
18.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$539
$30.14 SEK 296
-4.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,072
$37.44 SEK 368
52.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$26.36 SEK 259
9.67%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.6
$12.15 SEK 119
-57.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,882
$180 SEK 1,766
14.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.8K
$4,351 SEK 42.7K
-9.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$815
$51.3 SEK 504
-15.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$779
$33.38 SEK 328
24.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,394
$87.4 SEK 858
-15.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,677
$133 SEK 1,311
-33.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$792 SEK 7,778
23.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,157
$612 SEK 6,014
-37.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$1,354 SEK 13.3K
26.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$1,023 SEK 10.0K
5.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.1K
$4,023 SEK 39.5K
-2.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.7K
$2,767 SEK 27.2K
122.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Ystad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$1,881 SEK 18.5K
-60.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.06
274.18%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ystad: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Ystad
$612 60.8% $232
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Ystad
$337 32.2% $82
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Ystad
$235 16.3% $33
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Ystad
$155 13.1% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Ystad
$137 23.1% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Ystad
$62 8.3% $5.6
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Ystad
$107 113% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $792 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 in Ystad are about 2.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $86 in Ystad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $337 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇸🇪 Ystad
🕒 Local time
06:40 6:40 AM
12:40 12:40 PM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
18,350
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.82 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Ystad 8,790 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Ystad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Playa del Carmen cheaper than Ystad?
Yes – Ystad is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,469 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 Ystad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $792 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Ystad?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,646 in Ystad. That makes Playa del Carmen about 27% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 66% 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 Ystad?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Ystad at $1,646. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ystad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Ystad?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,646 in Ystad. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries 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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