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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Stockholm vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,800 per month in Stockholm vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,096 per month in Stockholm vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 93% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Stockholm sits 87% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 SEK 150

$11.73 MX$203

37.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 SEK 1,045

$41.62 MX$720

169.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 SEK 108

$10.64 MX$184

8.83%

Cappuccino

$5.08 SEK 47.40

$3.52 MX$60.9

44.32%

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

$3.30 SEK 30.79

$1.51 MX$26.12

118.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.35

$0.97 MX$16.84

157.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 SEK 80.9

$2.95 MX$51.0

193.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.30 SEK 77.5

$4.45 MX$77.0

86.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 16.03

$1.38 MX$23.93

24.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 SEK 32.29

$1.89 MX$32.72

83.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 SEK 37.28

$1.64 MX$28.32

143.29%

Eggs

$4.72 SEK 44.00

$2.51 MX$43.34

88.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 SEK 122

$8.34 MX$144

56.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 SEK 120

$8.34 MX$144

54.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.56 SEK 183

$10.73 MX$186

82.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 33.73

$2.60 MX$45.04

39.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.37

$1.46 MX$25.20

93.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 31.62

$1.90 MX$32.87

78.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 SEK 42.88

$2.08 MX$35.91

121.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 SEK 17.70

$1.78 MX$30.71

6.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 17.54

$2.19 MX$37.80

-14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.27

$1.04 MX$17.99

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 14.98

$1.08 MX$18.62

49.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 73.0

$4.08 MX$70.6

91.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 SEK 120

$10.32 MX$178

24.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SEK 20.15

$1.71 MX$29.61

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 20.95

$2.58 MX$44.54

-13.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.57 SEK 42.60

$0.51 MX$8.81

796.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 SEK 1,028

$26.46 MX$458

316.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 SEK 58.5

$3.26 MX$56.4

92.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SEK 14.67

$2.49 MX$43.09

-36.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 583

$3.25 MX$56.2

1822.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 16.98

$1.31 MX$22.61

38.93%

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

$33.0K SEK 307.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

8.86%

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

$35.4K SEK 330.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

51.15%

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

$229 SEK 2,133

$82.9 MX$1,433

175.90%

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

$28.82 SEK 269

$22.22 MX$384

29.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.69 SEK 389

$29.34 MX$507

42.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.58 SEK 435

$51.6 MX$893

-9.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.46 SEK 359

$18.32 MX$317

109.93%

Cinema Ticket

$17.65 SEK 165

$5.07 MX$87.6

248.13%

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

$165 SEK 1,541

$201 MX$3,473

-17.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 SEK 62.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

27.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 SEK 909

$36.92 MX$639

163.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.44 SEK 461

$39.79 MX$688

24.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 SEK 1,090

$78.5 MX$1,357

48.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 SEK 1,907

$87.1 MX$1,506

134.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 SEK 14.8K

$973 MX$16.8K

63.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 SEK 10.3K

$468 MX$8,090

136.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 SEK 25.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

68.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 SEK 16.8K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

47.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K SEK 114.3K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

210.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,689 SEK 62.4K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

2.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,779 SEK 35.3K

$664 MX$11.5K

469.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

11.42

-63.57%

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

Last update for Stockholm: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Stockholm 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 469% higher in Stockholm, 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 $112 in Stockholm versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 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

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

Yes – Stockholm is pricier by about 93%, 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 $3,758 per month in Stockholm 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 $2,505 in Stockholm 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 316% 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 Stockholm at $2,505. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm 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, Stockholm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.