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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,734 per month in Visby vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,769 per month in Visby vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,805 per month in Visby vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Visby costs about 35% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Visby sits 29% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.54 SEK 98.0
$11.94 MX$209
-11.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.9 SEK 882
$42.75 MX$748
121.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 SEK 88.4
$10.59 MX$185
-10.29%
Cappuccino
$3.19 SEK 29.70
$3.62 MX$63.4
-11.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 SEK 29.29
$1.47 MX$25.69
114.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 SEK 25.42
$0.94 MX$16.51
190.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.75 SEK 72.1
$3.09 MX$54.1
150.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 SEK 40.42
$4.46 MX$78.0
-2.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.61 SEK 15.00
$1.43 MX$24.94
12.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.75 SEK 25.60
$1.88 MX$32.97
46.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.19 SEK 29.64
$1.63 MX$28.50
95.71%
Eggs
$3.86 SEK 35.91
$2.64 MX$46.26
46.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.56 SEK 98.2
$8.21 MX$144
28.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.24 SEK 114
$8.29 MX$145
47.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.77 SEK 175
$11.10 MX$194
69.10%
Apples (1kg)
$3.04 SEK 28.30
$2.65 MX$46.40
14.72%
Banana (1kg)
$2.68 SEK 24.95
$1.50 MX$26.26
78.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.20 SEK 29.76
$1.99 MX$34.79
60.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.72 SEK 34.61
$2.08 MX$36.33
78.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 SEK 17.52
$1.79 MX$31.29
5.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.76 SEK 16.32
$2.18 MX$38.09
-19.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.81 SEK 26.15
$1.08 MX$18.84
160.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 SEK 10.89
$1.04 MX$18.15
12.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.03 SEK 56.1
$3.97 MX$69.5
51.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.70 SEK 118
$10.20 MX$179
24.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 SEK 21.87
$1.73 MX$30.22
35.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 SEK 17.45
$2.50 MX$43.71
-24.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.21 SEK 29.82
$0.52 MX$9.07
517.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.77 SEK 463
$26.97 MX$472
84.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.78 SEK 35.14
$3.14 MX$55.0
20.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.19 SEK 11.11
$2.40 MX$42.04
-50.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$85.2 SEK 793
$3.09 MX$54.0
2657.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.97 SEK 18.30
$1.27 MX$22.28
55.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5K SEK 302.0K
$30.9K MX$540.4K
5.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8K SEK 323.3K
$23.3K MX$408.0K
49.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$192 SEK 1,790
$82.0 MX$1,435
134.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.62 SEK 266
$22.45 MX$393
27.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.33 SEK 384
$29.66 MX$519
39.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.61 SEK 461
$51.9 MX$908
-4.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.47 SEK 386
$18.67 MX$327
122.12%
Cinema Ticket
$14.94 SEK 139
$4.97 MX$87.0
200.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$159 SEK 1,477
$198 MX$3,462
-19.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,167 SEK 38.8K
$5,273 MX$92.3K
-20.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.7 SEK 890
$36.34 MX$636
163.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.64 SEK 397
$40.05 MX$701
6.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.4 SEK 868
$79.9 MX$1,398
16.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 SEK 1,142
$88.9 MX$1,555
38.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$754 SEK 7,011
$963 MX$16.9K
-21.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$590 SEK 5,485
$465 MX$8,133
26.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 SEK 13.7K
$1,596 MX$27.9K
-7.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,038 SEK 9,651
$1,209 MX$21.2K
-14.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,886 SEK 45.4K
$3,942 MX$69.0K
23.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,461 SEK 32.2K
$6,448 MX$112.8K
-46.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,672 SEK 24.8K
$720 MX$12.6K
270.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.87
11.42
-57.36%

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

Last update for Visby: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Visby versus $963 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 271% higher in Visby, 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 $95.0 in Visby versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $251 – 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
Visby vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Visby?
Yes – Visby is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,601 per month in Visby and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Visby vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,734 in Visby and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 85% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Visby or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Visby at $1,734. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Visby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Visby or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Visby or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Visby makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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