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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,121 per month in Skelleftea vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,194 per month in Skelleftea vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,267 per month in Skelleftea vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Skelleftea costs about 65% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Skelleftea sits 58% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.88 SEK 138

$11.94 MX$209

24.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 SEK 635

$42.75 MX$748

59.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 SEK 121

$10.59 MX$185

23.04%

Cappuccino

$4.70 SEK 43.68

$3.62 MX$63.4

29.83%

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

$2.48 SEK 23.11

$1.47 MX$25.69

68.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 18.62

$0.94 MX$16.51

112.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.18 SEK 85.4

$3.09 MX$54.1

197.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.42 SEK 78.3

$4.46 MX$78.0

88.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SEK 15.85

$1.43 MX$24.94

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 SEK 24.89

$1.88 MX$32.97

42.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.97 SEK 46.19

$1.63 MX$28.50

204.91%

Eggs

$4.72 SEK 43.89

$2.64 MX$46.26

78.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 SEK 110

$8.21 MX$144

44.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.58 SEK 108

$8.29 MX$145

39.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.62 SEK 210

$11.10 MX$194

103.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 24.08

$2.65 MX$46.40

-2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.01

$1.50 MX$26.26

72.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 30.59

$1.99 MX$34.79

65.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 34.82

$2.08 MX$36.33

79.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 SEK 20.61

$1.79 MX$31.29

24.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SEK 14.79

$2.18 MX$38.09

-27.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 SEK 22.60

$1.08 MX$18.84

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SEK 13.39

$1.04 MX$18.15

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 SEK 66.1

$3.97 MX$69.5

78.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.42 SEK 153

$10.20 MX$179

60.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SEK 16.55

$1.73 MX$30.22

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SEK 16.28

$2.50 MX$43.71

-30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.25 SEK 39.52

$0.52 MX$9.07

717.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 SEK 528

$26.97 MX$472

110.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.33 SEK 77.4

$3.14 MX$55.0

165.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 SEK 19.13

$2.40 MX$42.04

-14.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.4 SEK 543

$3.09 MX$54.0

1790.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 SEK 17.46

$1.27 MX$22.28

48.03%

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

$32.8K SEK 304.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

6.09%

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

$34.7K SEK 322.7K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

48.81%

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

$172 SEK 1,597

$82.0 MX$1,435

109.33%

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

$32.13 SEK 299

$22.45 MX$393

43.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.47 SEK 265

$29.66 MX$519

-4.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.21 SEK 383

$51.9 MX$908

-20.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.29 SEK 235

$18.67 MX$327

35.46%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SEK 145

$4.97 MX$87.0

213.68%

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

$152 SEK 1,411

$198 MX$3,462

-23.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,175 SEK 38.8K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-20.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.0 SEK 920

$36.34 MX$636

172.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.47 SEK 386

$40.05 MX$701

3.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 SEK 783

$79.9 MX$1,398

5.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 SEK 1,527

$88.9 MX$1,555

84.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 SEK 11.8K

$963 MX$16.9K

32.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 SEK 8,068

$465 MX$8,133

86.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 SEK 16.0K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

8.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 SEK 13.0K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

15.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,757 SEK 44.2K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

20.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,438 SEK 32.0K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-46.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,775 SEK 25.8K

$720 MX$12.6K

285.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.42

-60.60%

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

Last update for Skelleftea: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,272 in Skelleftea versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. 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 285% higher in Skelleftea, 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 $68.0 in Skelleftea versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $251 – 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

Skelleftea vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skelleftea is pricier by about 65%, 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 $3,181 per month in Skelleftea and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $2,121 in Skelleftea and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 110% 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 $1,287, than in Skelleftea at $2,121. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skelleftea 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, Skelleftea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.