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 $2,732 per month in Stockholm vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Stockholm vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,527 per month in Stockholm vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 111% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Stockholm sits 99% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 SEK 177

$11.71 MX$199

57.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 SEK 988

$46.59 MX$791

120.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 SEK 110

$11.65 MX$198

-1.89%

Cappuccino

$5.35 SEK 51.5

$4.09 MX$69.5

30.81%

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

$3.89 SEK 37.43

$1.37 MX$23.34

183.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 SEK 30.85

$0.83 MX$14.16

285.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.46 SEK 81.5

$3.35 MX$56.9

152.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 SEK 88.5

$6.91 MX$117

33.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.80

$1.73 MX$29.33

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 SEK 40.14

$2.26 MX$38.39

84.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 SEK 39.39

$1.77 MX$30.05

131.07%

Eggs

$5.19 SEK 49.96

$2.73 MX$46.41

90.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 127

$9.18 MX$156

44.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.55 SEK 131

$8.92 MX$151

51.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.30 SEK 215

$12.60 MX$214

76.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 SEK 34.19

$3.02 MX$51.3

17.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.63

$1.57 MX$26.68

89.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.57

$2.13 MX$36.10

48.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 SEK 45.23

$2.26 MX$38.46

107.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 17.97

$2.00 MX$34.04

-6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.37

$2.06 MX$35.06

-12.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.95

$1.18 MX$20.04

111.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.95

$1.20 MX$20.45

107.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.10 SEK 87.7

$4.63 MX$78.7

96.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 SEK 122

$10.69 MX$182

18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.66

$1.62 MX$27.50

32.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.64

$2.88 MX$48.93

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.61 SEK 44.44

$0.57 MX$9.74

708.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 SEK 1,085

$29.83 MX$507

277.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 59.7

$5.45 MX$92.5

13.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 SEK 14.74

$3.70 MX$62.9

-58.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.2 SEK 570

$5.98 MX$102

889.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.55

$1.55 MX$26.38

17.42%

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

$34.5K SEK 332.1K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

54.44%

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

$35.1K SEK 338.3K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

35.37%

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

$281 SEK 2,709

$89.1 MX$1,514

215.54%

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

$22.69 SEK 218

$25.04 MX$425

-9.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.70 SEK 392

$31.50 MX$535

29.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 SEK 463

$67.8 MX$1,151

-29.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.41 SEK 399

$28.92 MX$491

43.19%

Cinema Ticket

$19.78 SEK 191

$5.05 MX$85.8

291.68%

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

$172 SEK 1,658

$225 MX$3,820

-23.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K SEK 162.2K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

298.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 SEK 1,157

$47.44 MX$806

153.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 SEK 557

$44.98 MX$764

28.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 SEK 1,365

$82.0 MX$1,392

72.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 SEK 1,952

$92.1 MX$1,564

120.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 SEK 17.2K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

67.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

$405 MX$6,884

170.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,323 SEK 32.0K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

71.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 SEK 17.9K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

42.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K SEK 113.0K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

193.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,611 SEK 63.7K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-0.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,662 SEK 35.3K

$749 MX$12.7K

389.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

11.45

-71.09%

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

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,787 in Stockholm 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 389% 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 $103 in Stockholm versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 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

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

Yes – Stockholm is pricier by about 111%, 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 $4,098 per month in Stockholm 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 $2,732 in Stockholm 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 278% 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 Stockholm at $2,732. 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.