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 $1,809 per month in Visby vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,790 per month in Visby vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,771 per month in Visby vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Visby costs about 43% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Visby sits 32% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.09 SEK 129
$11.60 MX$200
12.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.5 SEK 833
$47.11 MX$812
79.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.33 SEK 92.0
$11.88 MX$205
-21.46%
Cappuccino
$4.04 SEK 39.79
$3.98 MX$68.6
1.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 SEK 24.25
$1.43 MX$24.60
72.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 SEK 25.47
$0.82 MX$14.22
214.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.73 SEK 76.2
$3.19 MX$55.0
142.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09 SEK 40.33
$6.79 MX$117
-39.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 SEK 14.79
$1.68 MX$28.89
-10.71%
White Bread (500g)
$3.18 SEK 31.33
$2.20 MX$37.88
44.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.22 SEK 31.72
$1.71 MX$29.45
88.30%
Eggs
$4.17 SEK 41.10
$2.74 MX$47.26
52.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 SEK 101
$9.58 MX$165
6.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.14 SEK 120
$9.01 MX$155
34.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.40 SEK 162
$12.81 MX$221
28.02%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 SEK 30.23
$2.89 MX$49.81
6.23%
Banana (1kg)
$2.64 SEK 26.04
$1.50 MX$25.81
76.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.16 SEK 31.13
$2.15 MX$37.03
46.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.16 SEK 40.99
$2.26 MX$38.96
84.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 SEK 17.67
$1.98 MX$34.15
-9.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 SEK 17.85
$1.99 MX$34.30
-9.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.32 SEK 22.87
$1.23 MX$21.28
88.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 SEK 10.39
$1.20 MX$20.63
-12.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.25 SEK 51.8
$4.55 MX$78.5
15.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.47 SEK 123
$10.37 MX$179
20.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.32 SEK 22.83
$1.62 MX$27.91
43.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 SEK 15.75
$2.88 MX$49.67
-44.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.21 SEK 31.65
$0.60 MX$10.35
435.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$81.3 SEK 801
$28.80 MX$497
182.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.62 SEK 35.70
$5.39 MX$92.9
-32.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.84 SEK 27.99
$3.73 MX$64.3
-23.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$82.7 SEK 815
$5.77 MX$99.5
1332.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.89 SEK 18.64
$1.54 MX$26.48
22.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K SEK 339.0K
$22.5K MX$388.8K
52.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K SEK 338.6K
$26.1K MX$449.3K
31.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 SEK 1,864
$91.4 MX$1,576
107.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.02 SEK 227
$25.20 MX$435
-8.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.83 SEK 442
$31.24 MX$539
43.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.54 SEK 390
$67.2 MX$1,159
-41.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.38 SEK 260
$29.11 MX$502
-9.38%
Cinema Ticket
$14.39 SEK 142
$4.86 MX$83.8
196.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$154 SEK 1,522
$224 MX$3,856
-30.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,200 SEK 51.2K
$4,229 MX$72.9K
22.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$106 SEK 1,046
$47.10 MX$812
125.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.39 SEK 408
$44.29 MX$764
-6.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.6 SEK 902
$80.1 MX$1,381
14.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 SEK 1,414
$92.7 MX$1,598
54.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$750 SEK 7,388
$1,063 MX$18.3K
-29.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$573 SEK 5,647
$390 MX$6,728
46.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 SEK 13.9K
$2,149 MX$37.1K
-34.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,060 SEK 10.4K
$1,272 MX$21.9K
-16.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,189 SEK 41.3K
$4,001 MX$69.0K
4.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,969 SEK 29.3K
$6,502 MX$112.1K
-54.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Visby
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,555 SEK 25.2K
$758 MX$13.1K
236.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.53
11.45
-69.17%

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

Last update for Visby: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $750 in Visby versus $1,063 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 237% 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 $85.0 in Visby versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $276 – 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 43%, 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 $2,714 per month in Visby and $1,899 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 and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,809 in Visby and $1,266 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 182% 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 living in Visby or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Visby at $1,809. 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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