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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,776 per month in Sundsvall vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,653 per month in Sundsvall vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,530 per month in Sundsvall vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sundsvall costs about 37% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sundsvall sits 33% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.51 SEK 117

$11.73 MX$203

6.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.4 SEK 788

$41.62 MX$720

102.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 SEK 96.1

$10.64 MX$184

-3.20%

Cappuccino

$4.41 SEK 41.19

$3.52 MX$60.9

25.28%

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

$2.53 SEK 23.60

$1.51 MX$26.12

67.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 19.59

$0.97 MX$16.84

116.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 SEK 69.4

$2.95 MX$51.0

152.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 SEK 75.5

$4.45 MX$77.0

81.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SEK 14.76

$1.38 MX$23.93

14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 SEK 30.86

$1.89 MX$32.72

75.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 34.91

$1.64 MX$28.32

128.05%

Eggs

$3.58 SEK 33.43

$2.51 MX$43.34

42.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 SEK 95.2

$8.34 MX$144

22.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 SEK 96.6

$8.34 MX$144

24.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 SEK 172

$10.73 MX$186

72.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 27.04

$2.60 MX$45.04

11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 SEK 22.73

$1.46 MX$25.20

67.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 SEK 24.75

$1.90 MX$32.87

39.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 SEK 37.84

$2.08 MX$35.91

95.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SEK 13.67

$1.78 MX$30.71

-17.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 13.78

$2.19 MX$37.80

-32.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 SEK 17.55

$1.04 MX$17.99

80.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 SEK 9.26

$1.08 MX$18.62

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 SEK 72.6

$4.08 MX$70.6

90.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 SEK 87.6

$10.32 MX$178

-9.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SEK 15.29

$1.71 MX$29.61

-4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 SEK 14.03

$2.58 MX$44.54

-41.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 SEK 31.95

$0.51 MX$8.81

570.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.4 SEK 806

$26.46 MX$458

226.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 57.9

$3.26 MX$56.4

90.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 SEK 11.50

$2.49 MX$43.09

-50.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.1 SEK 570

$3.25 MX$56.2

1780.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 17.73

$1.31 MX$22.61

45.04%

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

$26.5K SEK 247.5K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-12.40%

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

$27.7K SEK 258.1K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

18.04%

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

$131 SEK 1,227

$82.9 MX$1,433

58.62%

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

$30.18 SEK 282

$22.22 MX$384

35.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.01 SEK 243

$29.34 MX$507

-11.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 SEK 360

$51.6 MX$893

-25.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.01 SEK 243

$18.32 MX$317

41.98%

Cinema Ticket

$14.47 SEK 135

$5.07 MX$87.6

185.40%

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

$144 SEK 1,344

$201 MX$3,473

-28.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,148 SEK 38.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-20.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.6 SEK 874

$36.92 MX$639

153.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.00 SEK 280

$39.79 MX$688

-24.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 SEK 707

$78.5 MX$1,357

-3.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 SEK 1,231

$87.1 MX$1,506

51.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 SEK 7,724

$973 MX$16.8K

-14.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 SEK 5,833

$468 MX$8,090

33.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 SEK 11.2K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-27.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 SEK 8,305

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-27.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,598 SEK 24.2K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-34.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,350 SEK 12.6K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-79.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,231 SEK 30.2K

$664 MX$11.5K

386.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

11.42

-60.77%

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

Last update for Sundsvall: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $828 in Sundsvall 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 387% higher in Sundsvall, 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 $84.0 in Sundsvall versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 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

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

Yes – Sundsvall is pricier by about 37%, 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 $2,664 per month in Sundsvall 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 $1,776 in Sundsvall 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 226% 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 Sundsvall at $1,776. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sundsvall 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, Sundsvall makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.