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 $2,582 per month in Stockholm vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,840 per month in Stockholm vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,098 per month in Stockholm vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 106% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Stockholm sits 93% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 SEK 155

$11.99 MX$210

34.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 SEK 1,062

$41.78 MX$731

163.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 SEK 113

$10.75 MX$188

8.65%

Cappuccino

$5.20 SEK 50.1

$3.50 MX$61.1

48.57%

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

$3.28 SEK 31.64

$1.45 MX$25.33

126.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 23.78

$0.88 MX$15.47

180.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.51 SEK 82.0

$2.95 MX$51.6

188.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 80.1

$4.51 MX$78.9

84.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.33

$1.43 MX$25.04

25.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 SEK 32.84

$1.84 MX$32.13

85.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 SEK 39.19

$1.57 MX$27.42

159.24%

Eggs

$4.70 SEK 45.33

$2.51 MX$43.92

87.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 SEK 123

$8.28 MX$145

54.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 127

$8.43 MX$147

56.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 SEK 187

$10.68 MX$187

81.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 SEK 34.66

$2.61 MX$45.62

37.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 27.93

$1.44 MX$25.15

101.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 SEK 32.54

$1.96 MX$34.31

72.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 SEK 44.21

$2.09 MX$36.62

119.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 SEK 18.92

$1.85 MX$32.37

5.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 18.17

$2.17 MX$37.90

-12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SEK 24.24

$1.03 MX$18.04

144.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.55

$1.07 MX$18.78

50.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 77.7

$4.10 MX$71.7

96.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 SEK 121

$10.17 MX$178

23.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 21.08

$1.68 MX$29.29

30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 SEK 22.76

$2.53 MX$44.17

-6.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 SEK 43.89

$0.51 MX$8.90

792.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 SEK 1,080

$26.04 MX$455

330.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 SEK 61.7

$3.23 MX$56.5

98.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.95

$2.41 MX$42.06

-31.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.3 SEK 610

$3.23 MX$56.5

1858.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 SEK 17.92

$1.32 MX$23.10

40.91%

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

$33.0K SEK 318.3K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

11.25%

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

$34.5K SEK 332.9K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

45.98%

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

$227 SEK 2,189

$82.0 MX$1,434

177.03%

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

$29.59 SEK 285

$22.95 MX$401

28.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.03 SEK 405

$30.11 MX$527

39.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.01 SEK 443

$52.0 MX$909

-11.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.09 SEK 367

$18.53 MX$324

105.56%

Cinema Ticket

$17.78 SEK 171

$4.98 MX$87.0

257.03%

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

$164 SEK 1,582

$197 MX$3,452

-16.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,573 SEK 63.3K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

23.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.6 SEK 941

$35.60 MX$622

174.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.76 SEK 480

$40.33 MX$705

23.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,159

$78.8 MX$1,377

52.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 SEK 1,945

$88.9 MX$1,555

126.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 SEK 15.1K

$947 MX$16.6K

65.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

$474 MX$8,288

129.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 SEK 26.5K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

67.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 SEK 17.4K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

48.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K SEK 113.3K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

189.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,496 SEK 62.6K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

0.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,643 SEK 35.1K

$654 MX$11.4K

457.20%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,566 in Stockholm versus $947 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 457% 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 $110 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 106%, 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 $3,873 per month in Stockholm and $1,884 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 $2,582 in Stockholm and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 330% 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 $1,256, than in Stockholm at $2,582. 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.