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 $1,756 per month in Sundsvall vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,619 per month in Sundsvall vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,482 per month in Sundsvall vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sundsvall costs about 40% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sundsvall sits 31% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.87 SEK 124

$11.99 MX$210

7.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 SEK 824

$41.78 MX$733

104.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 SEK 101

$10.75 MX$189

-3.07%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SEK 43.84

$3.50 MX$61.3

29.71%

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

$2.46 SEK 23.75

$1.45 MX$25.41

69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 19.86

$0.88 MX$15.52

132.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 SEK 75.6

$2.95 MX$51.7

165.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 SEK 78.7

$4.51 MX$79.1

80.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 SEK 15.20

$1.43 MX$25.12

9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 SEK 32.33

$1.84 MX$32.23

81.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 SEK 36.89

$1.57 MX$27.51

143.31%

Eggs

$3.73 SEK 36.03

$2.51 MX$44.06

48.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 SEK 98.0

$8.28 MX$145

22.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.31 SEK 99.6

$8.43 MX$148

22.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.41 SEK 178

$10.68 MX$187

72.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 27.43

$2.61 MX$45.76

8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 SEK 23.60

$1.44 MX$25.22

69.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 24.87

$1.96 MX$34.41

31.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 SEK 39.25

$2.09 MX$36.74

94.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 SEK 14.64

$1.85 MX$32.47

-18.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 SEK 13.76

$2.17 MX$38.02

-34.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 SEK 18.16

$1.03 MX$18.09

82.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SEK 10.00

$1.07 MX$18.84

-3.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.70 SEK 74.4

$4.10 MX$72.0

87.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 SEK 89.6

$10.17 MX$178

-8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SEK 15.90

$1.68 MX$29.38

-2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 15.08

$2.53 MX$44.31

-38.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.36 SEK 32.47

$0.51 MX$8.93

558.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.8 SEK 830

$26.04 MX$457

229.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 SEK 62.4

$3.23 MX$56.7

99.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SEK 11.82

$2.41 MX$42.19

-49.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.1 SEK 610

$3.23 MX$56.6

1852.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.36

$1.32 MX$23.17

43.94%

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

$26.7K SEK 258.2K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-10.03%

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

$26.9K SEK 260.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

13.84%

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

$132 SEK 1,271

$82.0 MX$1,439

60.36%

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

$29.93 SEK 289

$22.95 MX$403

30.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.77 SEK 249

$30.11 MX$528

-14.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.95 SEK 367

$52.0 MX$912

-26.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.04 SEK 252

$18.53 MX$325

40.53%

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 SEK 143

$4.98 MX$87.3

196.18%

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

$145 SEK 1,402

$197 MX$3,463

-26.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,164 SEK 40.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-21.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.0 SEK 909

$35.60 MX$624

164.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.77 SEK 297

$40.33 MX$707

-23.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 SEK 749

$78.8 MX$1,381

-1.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 SEK 1,264

$88.9 MX$1,560

47.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 SEK 8,092

$947 MX$16.6K

-11.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 SEK 6,131

$474 MX$8,314

33.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 SEK 11.5K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-27.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 SEK 8,399

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-28.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 SEK 23.8K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-39.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,293 SEK 12.5K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-80.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,018 SEK 29.2K

$654 MX$11.5K

361.50%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $837 in Sundsvall 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 361% 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 $85.0 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 40%, 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 $2,634 per month in Sundsvall 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 $1,756 in Sundsvall 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 230% 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 Sundsvall at $1,756. 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.