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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,782 in Ystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,746 in Ystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,710 in Ystad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 29% cheaper than Ystad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Ystad is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$11.68 SEK 111

0.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$91.4 SEK 869

-54.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.52 SEK 100.0

-0.10%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.94 SEK 37.43

-8.88%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$3.08 SEK 29.23

-50.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.58 SEK 24.46

-64.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$6.37 SEK 60.5

-53.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.84 SEK 74.5

-43.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.70 SEK 16.18

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.96 SEK 28.14

-36.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.22 SEK 30.63

-51.55%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.08 SEK 29.29

-15.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.46 SEK 109

-27.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$9.72 SEK 92.4

-14.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$18.83 SEK 179

-42.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.18 SEK 30.23

-14.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.74 SEK 26.03

-44.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.00 SEK 28.54

-37.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.39 SEK 41.69

-50.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.72 SEK 16.38

8.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.95 SEK 18.55

14.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.22 SEK 21.04

-51.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.54 SEK 14.63

-29.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$7.90 SEK 75.0

-46.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.12 SEK 115

-13.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.25 SEK 21.36

-26.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.50 SEK 23.71

4.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.46 SEK 32.90

-84.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$73.2 SEK 695

-64.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$10.08 SEK 95.7

-69.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.58 SEK 14.99

51.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$61.5 SEK 584

-94.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.96 SEK 18.59

-33.16%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.1K SEK 247.6K

14.38%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$30.0K SEK 284.6K

-22.15%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$122 SEK 1,157

-33.26%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$20.76 SEK 197

8.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$32.02 SEK 304

-6.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$41.08 SEK 390

28.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$24.97 SEK 237

-26.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$12.50 SEK 119

-60.64%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$175 SEK 1,658

15.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,121 SEK 39.2K

25.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$53.3 SEK 507

-32.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$39.62 SEK 376

1.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$93.1 SEK 884

-14.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$155 SEK 1,474

-44.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$848 SEK 8,052

15.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$655 SEK 6,227

-28.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,402 SEK 13.3K

17.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,101 SEK 10.5K

9.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$4,191 SEK 39.8K

-5.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$2,846 SEK 27.0K

132.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,890 SEK 18.0K

-64.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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 Ystad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $848 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 179% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $91.0 in Ystad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 Ystad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ystad is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,673 in Ystad. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,782 in Ystad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 180% 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 $1,260, than in Ystad at $1,782. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ystad 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, Ystad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.