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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,692 in Ystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,716 in Ystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,740 in Ystad, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Ystad is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$12.41 SEK 122

-6.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$89.7 SEK 884

-47.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.53 SEK 104

12.82%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.09 SEK 30.45

28.80%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.92 SEK 28.81

-51.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.38 SEK 23.47

-65.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$7.15 SEK 70.4

-55.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.96 SEK 78.4

-14.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.74 SEK 17.12

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.83 SEK 27.85

-22.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.22 SEK 31.73

-46.89%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.15 SEK 31.03

-13.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.86 SEK 117

-19.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.53 SEK 93.9

-5.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$17.36 SEK 171

-26.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.26 SEK 32.12

-11.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.57 SEK 25.37

-41.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.20 SEK 31.50

-32.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.40 SEK 43.38

-48.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.68 SEK 16.51

17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.69 SEK 16.61

17.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.02 SEK 19.88

-39.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.76 SEK 17.32

-31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$8.54 SEK 84.2

-46.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$12.57 SEK 124

-17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.20 SEK 21.67

-26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.24 SEK 22.06

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$3.35 SEK 33.05

-82.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$79.9 SEK 788

-63.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$6.28 SEK 61.9

-14.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.78 SEK 17.50

109.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$62.4 SEK 615

-90.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.93 SEK 19.05

-20.21%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$30.8K SEK 303.0K

-26.67%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$35.5K SEK 350.2K

-26.67%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$106 SEK 1,046

-13.87%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$19.40 SEK 191

29.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$31.45 SEK 310

-0.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$39.48 SEK 389

70.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$26.20 SEK 258

11.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$12.39 SEK 122

-60.77%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$187 SEK 1,841

19.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,588 SEK 45.2K

-7.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$52.4 SEK 516

-10.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$33.85 SEK 334

30.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$94.1 SEK 927

-14.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$135 SEK 1,335

-31.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$845 SEK 8,324

25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$604 SEK 5,953

-35.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,426 SEK 14.1K

50.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,048 SEK 10.3K

21.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$4,229 SEK 41.7K

-5.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,901 SEK 28.6K

124.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,914 SEK 18.9K

-60.39%

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ystad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $845 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 152% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $90.0 in Ystad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $351 – 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 34%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,537 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,692 in Ystad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 178% 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 $1,266, than in Ystad at $1,692. 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.