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 $2,078 per month in Skelleftea vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,152 per month in Skelleftea vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,225 per month in Skelleftea vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Skelleftea costs about 64% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Skelleftea sits 55% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.80 SEK 139

$11.87 MX$204

24.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 SEK 645

$42.90 MX$736

60.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.23 SEK 124

$10.65 MX$183

24.23%

Cappuccino

$4.69 SEK 44.00

$3.45 MX$59.2

35.94%

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

$2.52 SEK 23.69

$1.50 MX$25.81

68.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SEK 19.29

$0.95 MX$16.28

116.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.81 SEK 82.6

$3.03 MX$51.9

190.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 SEK 77.2

$4.61 MX$79.1

78.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.22

$1.38 MX$23.61

17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 SEK 25.58

$1.85 MX$31.70

47.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 SEK 48.58

$1.61 MX$27.65

221.74%

Eggs

$4.97 SEK 46.59

$2.59 MX$44.51

91.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.92 SEK 112

$8.26 MX$142

44.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 SEK 107

$8.37 MX$144

35.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.36 SEK 210

$10.66 MX$183

109.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 25.44

$2.63 MX$45.12

3.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 SEK 24.81

$1.49 MX$25.53

77.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 SEK 30.80

$1.92 MX$32.94

70.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 SEK 34.06

$2.09 MX$35.81

73.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 SEK 21.02

$1.86 MX$31.88

20.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 15.56

$2.26 MX$38.81

-26.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 SEK 21.93

$1.06 MX$18.23

120.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SEK 14.07

$1.09 MX$18.67

37.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 SEK 66.4

$4.15 MX$71.2

70.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 SEK 147

$10.39 MX$178

50.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SEK 16.85

$1.72 MX$29.59

4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 15.99

$2.61 MX$44.85

-34.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.18 SEK 39.20

$0.54 MX$9.30

674.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.2 SEK 527

$26.94 MX$462

108.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.33 SEK 78.2

$3.13 MX$53.7

166.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 SEK 19.54

$2.51 MX$43.09

-17.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 SEK 567

$3.15 MX$54.1

1817.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.48

$1.27 MX$21.88

55.12%

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

$33.1K SEK 310.5K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

8.98%

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

$34.2K SEK 320.9K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

45.16%

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

$175 SEK 1,640

$83.0 MX$1,425

110.67%

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

$31.35 SEK 294

$22.71 MX$390

38.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.57 SEK 268

$29.46 MX$506

-3.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.88 SEK 383

$51.0 MX$875

-19.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.89 SEK 233

$18.33 MX$315

35.79%

Cinema Ticket

$16.10 SEK 151

$4.93 MX$84.5

226.57%

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

$150 SEK 1,407

$197 MX$3,386

-23.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,186 SEK 39.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-20.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.5 SEK 915

$36.90 MX$633

164.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.48 SEK 399

$39.89 MX$685

6.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 SEK 778

$80.0 MX$1,373

3.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 SEK 1,529

$89.5 MX$1,536

82.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 SEK 12.2K

$956 MX$16.4K

36.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$864 SEK 8,105

$477 MX$8,189

81.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,776 SEK 16.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

7.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 SEK 13.0K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

13.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,072 SEK 38.2K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

3.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,554 SEK 24.0K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-60.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,660 SEK 25.0K

$667 MX$11.4K

298.86%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,304 in Skelleftea versus $956 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 299% 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 $69.0 in Skelleftea versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $250 – 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 64%, 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 $3,118 per month in Skelleftea and $1,906 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 $2,078 in Skelleftea and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 109% 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 $1,271, than in Skelleftea at $2,078. 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.