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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,910 per month in Skovde vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,946 per month in Skovde vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,982 per month in Skovde vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Skovde costs about 47% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Skovde sits 43% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.00 SEK 151

$11.73 MX$205

36.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 SEK 660

$41.62 MX$727

67.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 SEK 109

$10.64 MX$186

7.89%

Cappuccino

$4.92 SEK 46.54

$3.52 MX$61.5

39.77%

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

$2.66 SEK 25.16

$1.51 MX$26.37

76.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 21.17

$0.97 MX$17.00

130.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.65 SEK 81.9

$2.95 MX$51.5

193.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 SEK 82.1

$4.45 MX$77.8

95.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SEK 14.91

$1.38 MX$24.16

14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 SEK 26.24

$1.89 MX$33.04

46.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 SEK 41.80

$1.64 MX$28.59

169.51%

Eggs

$5.17 SEK 48.95

$2.51 MX$43.76

105.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.22 SEK 116

$8.34 MX$146

46.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.26 SEK 135

$8.34 MX$146

70.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.11 SEK 162

$10.73 MX$187

59.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 SEK 36.98

$2.60 MX$45.48

50.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.25

$1.46 MX$25.45

89.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 SEK 34.86

$1.90 MX$33.19

93.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 SEK 47.19

$2.08 MX$36.26

139.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 SEK 15.78

$1.78 MX$31.01

-6.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.35

$2.19 MX$38.16

-16.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.71

$1.04 MX$18.16

150.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SEK 12.51

$1.08 MX$18.80

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.72 SEK 73.1

$4.08 MX$71.3

89.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 SEK 82.2

$10.32 MX$180

-15.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.67

$1.71 MX$29.90

46.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SEK 24.47

$2.58 MX$44.98

0.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.77 SEK 35.66

$0.51 MX$8.90

639.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.3 SEK 693

$26.46 MX$462

176.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 SEK 55.0

$3.26 MX$57.0

78.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.69

$2.49 MX$43.51

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.5 SEK 610

$3.25 MX$56.7

1884.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.86

$1.31 MX$22.83

51.91%

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

$32.3K SEK 305.5K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

6.64%

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

$33.6K SEK 317.9K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

43.39%

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

$111 SEK 1,051

$82.9 MX$1,447

34.04%

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

$29.31 SEK 277

$22.22 MX$388

31.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.35 SEK 401

$29.34 MX$512

44.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.09 SEK 379

$51.6 MX$902

-22.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.36 SEK 240

$18.32 MX$320

38.43%

Cinema Ticket

$20.37 SEK 193

$5.07 MX$88.5

301.78%

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

$149 SEK 1,410

$201 MX$3,507

-25.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,566 SEK 52.7K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

6.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 SEK 847

$36.92 MX$645

142.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.27 SEK 400

$39.79 MX$695

6.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 SEK 965

$78.5 MX$1,370

30.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 SEK 1,498

$87.1 MX$1,521

81.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 SEK 7,885

$973 MX$17.0K

-14.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 SEK 6,222

$468 MX$8,169

40.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 SEK 13.0K

$1,641 MX$28.7K

-16.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 SEK 10.4K

$1,221 MX$21.3K

-9.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,422 SEK 41.8K

$3,946 MX$68.9K

12.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,023 SEK 28.6K

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-53.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,496 SEK 33.1K

$664 MX$11.6K

426.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

11.42

-57.97%

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

Last update for Skovde: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $833 in Skovde versus $973 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 427% higher in Skovde, 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 $70.0 in Skovde versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Skovde is pricier by about 47%, 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 $2,864 per month in Skovde and $1,945 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 $1,910 in Skovde and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 177% 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 $1,297, than in Skovde at $1,910. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skovde 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, Skovde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.