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 $1,773 per month in Solna vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Solna vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,610 per month in Solna vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Solna costs about 37% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Solna sits 32% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 SEK 138

$11.73 MX$203

26.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 SEK 523

$41.62 MX$720

34.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 SEK 97.2

$10.64 MX$184

-2.07%

Cappuccino

$5.02 SEK 46.87

$3.52 MX$60.9

42.61%

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

$3.19 SEK 29.81

$1.51 MX$26.12

111.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 SEK 14.10

$0.97 MX$16.84

55.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.63 SEK 71.2

$2.95 MX$51.0

158.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 SEK 75.8

$4.45 MX$77.0

82.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 SEK 14.53

$1.38 MX$23.93

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 SEK 24.91

$1.89 MX$32.72

41.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 SEK 35.24

$1.64 MX$28.32

130.49%

Eggs

$3.92 SEK 36.60

$2.51 MX$43.34

56.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 SEK 89.2

$8.34 MX$144

14.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 SEK 115

$8.34 MX$144

47.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 SEK 139

$10.73 MX$186

38.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 15.45

$2.60 MX$45.04

-36.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 SEK 20.13

$1.46 MX$25.20

47.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 24.28

$1.90 MX$32.87

36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 SEK 29.74

$2.08 MX$35.91

53.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.43

$1.78 MX$30.71

-12.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 SEK 19.02

$2.19 MX$37.80

-6.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 SEK 21.90

$1.04 MX$17.99

125.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 SEK 10.38

$1.08 MX$18.62

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 SEK 70.4

$4.08 MX$70.6

85.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 SEK 138

$10.32 MX$178

43.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 SEK 13.07

$1.71 MX$29.61

-18.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 SEK 8.48

$2.58 MX$44.54

-64.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 SEK 42.40

$0.51 MX$8.81

790.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 SEK 936

$26.46 MX$458

279.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 SEK 35.23

$3.26 MX$56.4

15.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 14.74

$2.49 MX$43.09

-36.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.5 SEK 798

$3.25 MX$56.2

2531.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.26

$1.31 MX$22.61

49.62%

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

$27.2K SEK 253.7K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-10.22%

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

$30.1K SEK 281.2K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

28.61%

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

$109 SEK 1,014

$82.9 MX$1,433

31.19%

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

$28.80 SEK 269

$22.22 MX$384

29.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.35 SEK 386

$29.34 MX$507

40.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.03 SEK 439

$51.6 MX$893

-8.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.68 SEK 240

$18.32 MX$317

40.17%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 SEK 140

$5.07 MX$87.6

196.06%

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

$157 SEK 1,467

$201 MX$3,473

-21.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,218 SEK 39.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-19.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 SEK 873

$36.92 MX$639

153.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.46 SEK 396

$39.79 MX$688

6.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 SEK 874

$78.5 MX$1,357

19.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 SEK 490

$87.1 MX$1,506

-39.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SEK 7,841

$973 MX$16.8K

-13.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 SEK 6,130

$468 MX$8,090

40.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 SEK 13.2K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-13.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SEK 10.2K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-10.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,167 SEK 66.9K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

81.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,298 SEK 49.4K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-18.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,958 SEK 36.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

496.13%

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 Solna: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $840 in Solna 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 496% 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 $56.0 in Solna versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 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

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

Yes – Solna is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,659 per month in Solna 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 $1,773 in Solna 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 279% 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 Solna at $1,773. 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.