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 $1,807 per month in Sundsvall vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,745 per month in Sundsvall vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,684 per month in Sundsvall vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sundsvall costs about 40% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

$15.45 SEK 147

$11.71 MX$198

31.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.3 SEK 784

$46.59 MX$788

76.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 SEK 109

$11.65 MX$197

-1.55%

Cappuccino

$4.86 SEK 46.38

$4.09 MX$69.2

18.83%

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

$2.51 SEK 23.94

$1.37 MX$23.23

83.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 18.85

$0.83 MX$14.09

138.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.83 SEK 84.2

$3.35 MX$56.7

163.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 SEK 74.8

$6.91 MX$117

13.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 SEK 14.86

$1.73 MX$29.20

-9.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 SEK 29.31

$2.26 MX$38.21

35.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 SEK 35.19

$1.77 MX$29.91

108.47%

Eggs

$3.52 SEK 33.61

$2.73 MX$46.19

28.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 SEK 95.7

$9.18 MX$155

9.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 SEK 96.5

$8.92 MX$151

13.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.16 SEK 173

$12.60 MX$213

44.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 SEK 26.19

$3.02 MX$51.1

-8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 SEK 23.11

$1.57 MX$26.55

54.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 SEK 24.90

$2.13 MX$35.93

22.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 SEK 39.35

$2.26 MX$38.28

82.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 SEK 14.58

$2.00 MX$33.88

-23.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 SEK 13.44

$2.06 MX$34.90

-31.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 SEK 17.57

$1.18 MX$19.94

55.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SEK 9.30

$1.20 MX$20.35

-18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 SEK 74.1

$4.63 MX$78.4

68.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 SEK 90.5

$10.69 MX$181

-11.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.59

$1.62 MX$27.38

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 SEK 13.62

$2.88 MX$48.70

-50.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 SEK 33.45

$0.57 MX$9.69

515.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.7 SEK 865

$29.83 MX$504

203.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 SEK 59.2

$5.45 MX$92.1

13.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.41 SEK 61.1

$3.70 MX$62.6

73.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 SEK 17.60

$1.55 MX$26.26

19.35%

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

$32.2K SEK 307.0K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

44.22%

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

$32.5K SEK 309.4K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

25.07%

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

$102 SEK 976

$89.1 MX$1,507

14.80%

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

$29.85 SEK 285

$25.04 MX$423

19.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 SEK 302

$31.50 MX$532

0.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.82 SEK 399

$67.8 MX$1,146

-38.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.69 SEK 121

$28.92 MX$489

-56.12%

Cinema Ticket

$14.33 SEK 137

$5.05 MX$85.4

183.76%

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

$145 SEK 1,384

$225 MX$3,803

-35.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 SEK 876

$47.44 MX$802

93.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.13 SEK 278

$44.98 MX$760

-35.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 SEK 749

$82.0 MX$1,386

-4.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 SEK 1,320

$92.1 MX$1,557

50.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 SEK 6,682

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-34.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 SEK 6,020

$405 MX$6,852

55.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 SEK 11.7K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-36.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$926 SEK 8,833

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-28.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,516 SEK 24.0K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-37.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,357 SEK 12.9K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-79.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,141 SEK 29.9K

$749 MX$12.7K

319.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.88

11.45

-66.11%

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

Last update for Sundsvall: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $701 in Sundsvall 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 319% 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 $82.0 in Sundsvall versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 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

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 Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,710 per month in Sundsvall 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 $1,807 in Sundsvall 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 204% 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 Sundsvall at $1,807. 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.