Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Skelleftea and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $1,961 in Skelleftea, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Skelleftea
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,961
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,961 per month in Skelleftea vs $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Skelleftea $1,961
  • Playa del Carmen $1,210

A couple spends around $2,962 per month in Skelleftea vs $2,113 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Skelleftea $2,962
  • Playa del Carmen $2,113

A family of three spends $3,964 per month in Skelleftea vs $3,016 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Skelleftea $3,964
  • Playa del Carmen $3,016

Skelleftea costs about 62% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Skelleftea sits 45% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Skelleftea
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.89 SEK 157
$10.76 MX$199
47.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.2 SEK 774
$43.03 MX$795
81.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.16 SEK 130
$11.79 MX$218
11.62%
Cappuccino
$4.65 SEK 46.04
$3.87 MX$71.4
20.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 SEK 25.35
$1.37 MX$25.29
86.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 SEK 22.72
$0.84 MX$15.44
173.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.88 SEK 78.0
$3.10 MX$57.3
154.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.69 SEK 76.1
$5.07 MX$93.6
51.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Skelleftea
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 SEK 15.75
$1.44 MX$26.55
10.42%
White Bread (500g)
$2.47 SEK 24.40
$2.23 MX$41.23
10.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.91 SEK 48.62
$1.47 MX$27.17
234.01%
Eggs
$5.14 SEK 50.9
$2.53 MX$46.71
103.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.90 SEK 108
$7.30 MX$135
49.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.78 SEK 107
$7.86 MX$145
37.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.10 SEK 239
$12.79 MX$236
88.43%
Apples (1kg)
$3.17 SEK 31.42
$2.90 MX$53.6
9.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.40 SEK 23.77
$1.44 MX$26.53
66.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.07 SEK 30.39
$2.55 MX$47.07
20.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.56 SEK 35.21
$2.06 MX$38.03
72.82%
Potato (1kg)
$2.24 SEK 22.14
$2.00 MX$36.97
12.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 SEK 15.99
$2.01 MX$37.07
-19.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 SEK 22.55
$1.19 MX$22.02
91.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.57 SEK 15.50
$1.26 MX$23.23
24.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.34 SEK 72.7
$4.40 MX$81.4
66.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.00 SEK 148
$9.59 MX$177
56.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 SEK 16.88
$1.59 MX$29.41
7.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 SEK 15.71
$2.81 MX$51.9
-43.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Skelleftea
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.78 SEK 27.50
$0.57 MX$10.47
387.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$51.6 SEK 511
$27.82 MX$514
85.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.83 SEK 77.5
$4.98 MX$92.1
57.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.73 SEK 17.11
$3.50 MX$64.6
-50.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$58.9 SEK 583
$5.40 MX$99.8
990.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 SEK 16.98
$1.47 MX$27.08
17.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9K SEK 325.8K
$21.0K MX$387.8K
56.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K SEK 319.1K
$23.9K MX$441.8K
34.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skelleftea
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 SEK 1,016
$84.2 MX$1,556
21.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.24 SEK 329
$23.99 MX$443
38.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.7 SEK 512
$29.02 MX$536
78.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Skelleftea
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.65 SEK 373
$63.0 MX$1,164
-40.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.55 SEK 253
$29.14 MX$539
-12.32%
Cinema Ticket
$14.79 SEK 146
$4.94 MX$91.3
199.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Skelleftea
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$140 SEK 1,386
$204 MX$3,763
-31.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,481 SEK 54.2K
$3,941 MX$72.8K
39.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Skelleftea
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.8 SEK 939
$43.60 MX$806
117.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.10 SEK 387
$43.12 MX$797
-9.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.9 SEK 780
$75.8 MX$1,400
4.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153 SEK 1,513
$88.6 MX$1,637
72.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Skelleftea
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,127 SEK 11.2K
$1,008 MX$18.6K
11.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$786 SEK 7,783
$374 MX$6,911
110.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,588 SEK 15.7K
$1,708 MX$31.6K
-7.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,195 SEK 11.8K
$1,106 MX$20.4K
8.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,005 SEK 39.6K
$3,944 MX$72.9K
1.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,822 SEK 27.9K
$6,169 MX$114.0K
-54.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Skelleftea
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,556 SEK 25.3K
$754 MX$13.9K
238.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.9
11.45
-65.94%

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

Last update for Skelleftea: October 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Skelleftea
$786
Playa del Carmen
$374 52.4% $412
Groceries & Markets
Skelleftea
$380
Playa del Carmen
$258 31.9% $121
Eating Out
Skelleftea
$297
Playa del Carmen
$202 31.8% $94
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skelleftea
$188
Playa del Carmen
$137 26.9% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Skelleftea
$165
Playa del Carmen
$113 31.3% $52
Getting Around
Skelleftea
$79
Playa del Carmen
$53 33.6% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Skelleftea
$67
Playa del Carmen
$73 8.4% $5.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,127 in Skelleftea versus $1,008 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 239% 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 $78.0 in Skelleftea versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Skelleftea
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
14:34 2:34 PM
07:34 7:34 AM
7 h behind Skelleftea
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,775
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.9 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.13 SEK (100 SEK = 8.99 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.78 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Skelleftea Playa del Carmen 8,760 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Skelleftea
  • Playa del Carmen

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
Skelleftea vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Skelleftea?
Yes – Skelleftea is pricier by about 62%, 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 $2,942 per month in Skelleftea and $1,816 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Skelleftea and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,961 in Skelleftea and $1,210 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 62%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 86% 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 Skelleftea or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Skelleftea at $1,961. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skelleftea it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Skelleftea or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Skelleftea or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Skelleftea vs other spots: cost of living compared

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