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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,828 per month in Solna vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,821 per month in Solna vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,815 per month in Solna vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Solna costs about 41% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Solna sits 33% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.58 SEK 140

$11.71 MX$199

24.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 SEK 669

$46.59 MX$791

49.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 SEK 114

$11.65 MX$198

1.80%

Cappuccino

$5.21 SEK 50.2

$4.09 MX$69.5

27.38%

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

$2.38 SEK 22.96

$1.37 MX$23.34

73.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 SEK 14.88

$0.83 MX$14.16

85.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.67 SEK 73.8

$3.35 MX$56.9

128.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 SEK 74.7

$6.91 MX$117

12.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 SEK 14.58

$1.73 MX$29.33

-12.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 SEK 25.75

$2.26 MX$38.39

18.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.27

$1.77 MX$30.05

112.99%

Eggs

$4.25 SEK 40.94

$2.73 MX$46.41

55.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 SEK 89.1

$9.18 MX$156

0.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 SEK 129

$8.92 MX$151

50.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.66 SEK 228

$12.60 MX$214

87.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 SEK 32.48

$3.02 MX$51.3

11.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 SEK 20.06

$1.57 MX$26.68

32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 SEK 25.58

$2.13 MX$36.10

24.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 SEK 29.77

$2.26 MX$38.46

36.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.37

$2.00 MX$34.04

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 SEK 18.85

$2.06 MX$35.06

-4.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 SEK 22.31

$1.18 MX$20.04

96.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 SEK 10.41

$1.20 MX$20.45

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.02 SEK 77.2

$4.63 MX$78.7

73.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 SEK 120

$10.69 MX$182

16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 SEK 13.39

$1.62 MX$27.50

-14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 21.60

$2.88 MX$48.93

-22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.29 SEK 41.31

$0.57 MX$9.74

652.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 SEK 989

$29.83 MX$507

244.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 SEK 35.03

$5.45 MX$92.5

-33.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 SEK 28.49

$3.70 MX$62.9

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.5 SEK 823

$5.98 MX$102

1329.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.47

$1.55 MX$26.38

23.87%

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

$34.3K SEK 330.1K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

53.52%

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

$33.6K SEK 323.7K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

29.50%

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

$112 SEK 1,075

$89.1 MX$1,514

25.21%

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

$23.29 SEK 224

$25.04 MX$425

-6.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.47 SEK 409

$31.50 MX$535

34.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.37 SEK 379

$67.8 MX$1,151

-41.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.64 SEK 257

$28.92 MX$491

-7.88%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 SEK 146

$5.05 MX$85.8

200.59%

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

$159 SEK 1,529

$225 MX$3,820

-29.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,239 SEK 50.5K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

24.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 SEK 1,069

$47.44 MX$806

133.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.10 SEK 405

$44.98 MX$764

-6.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 SEK 879

$82.0 MX$1,392

11.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 SEK 1,385

$92.1 MX$1,564

56.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SEK 8,039

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-21.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 SEK 5,897

$405 MX$6,884

51.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 SEK 13.7K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-26.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 SEK 10.3K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-17.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,162 SEK 69.0K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

79.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,005 SEK 28.9K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-54.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,932 SEK 37.9K

$749 MX$12.7K

425.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

11.45

-69.17%

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

Last update for Solna: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $835 in Solna versus $1,069 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 425% higher in Solna, 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 Solna versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $277 – 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

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

Yes – Solna is pricier by about 41%, 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 $2,741 per month in Solna and $1,940 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 $1,828 in Solna and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 244% 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 $1,293, than in Solna at $1,828. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Solna 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, Solna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.