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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Ystad vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,716 per month in Ystad vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,740 per month in Ystad vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ystad costs about 34% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ystad sits 24% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.41 SEK 122

$11.60 MX$200

6.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.7 SEK 884

$47.11 MX$812

90.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 SEK 104

$11.88 MX$205

-11.36%

Cappuccino

$3.09 SEK 30.45

$3.98 MX$68.6

-22.36%

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

$2.92 SEK 28.81

$1.43 MX$24.60

104.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SEK 23.47

$0.82 MX$14.22

190.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 SEK 70.4

$3.19 MX$55.0

124.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 SEK 78.4

$6.79 MX$117

17.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 17.12

$1.68 MX$28.89

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 SEK 27.85

$2.20 MX$37.88

28.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 SEK 31.73

$1.71 MX$29.45

88.30%

Eggs

$3.15 SEK 31.03

$2.74 MX$47.26

14.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 SEK 117

$9.58 MX$165

23.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 SEK 93.9

$9.01 MX$155

5.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.36 SEK 171

$12.81 MX$221

35.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 32.12

$2.89 MX$49.81

12.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 25.37

$1.50 MX$25.81

71.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 SEK 31.50

$2.15 MX$37.03

48.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 SEK 43.38

$2.26 MX$38.96

94.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 SEK 16.51

$1.98 MX$34.15

-15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 SEK 16.61

$1.99 MX$34.30

-15.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 SEK 19.88

$1.23 MX$21.28

64.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SEK 17.32

$1.20 MX$20.63

46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.54 SEK 84.2

$4.55 MX$78.5

87.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 SEK 124

$10.37 MX$179

21.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 21.67

$1.62 MX$27.91

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 22.06

$2.88 MX$49.67

-22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.35 SEK 33.05

$0.60 MX$10.35

458.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 SEK 788

$28.80 MX$497

177.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 SEK 61.9

$5.39 MX$92.9

16.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 SEK 17.50

$3.73 MX$64.3

-52.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 SEK 615

$5.77 MX$99.5

981.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 19.05

$1.54 MX$26.48

25.32%

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

$30.8K SEK 303.0K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

36.38%

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

$35.5K SEK 350.2K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

36.37%

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

$106 SEK 1,046

$91.4 MX$1,576

16.11%

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

$19.40 SEK 191

$25.20 MX$435

-23.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.45 SEK 310

$31.24 MX$539

0.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.48 SEK 389

$67.2 MX$1,159

-41.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.20 SEK 258

$29.11 MX$502

-10.00%

Cinema Ticket

$12.39 SEK 122

$4.86 MX$83.8

154.94%

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

$187 SEK 1,841

$224 MX$3,856

-16.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,588 SEK 45.2K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

8.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 SEK 516

$47.10 MX$812

11.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.85 SEK 334

$44.29 MX$764

-23.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 SEK 927

$80.1 MX$1,381

17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 SEK 1,335

$92.7 MX$1,598

46.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 SEK 8,324

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-20.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 SEK 5,953

$390 MX$6,728

54.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 SEK 14.1K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-33.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 SEK 10.3K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-17.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,229 SEK 41.7K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

5.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,901 SEK 28.6K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-55.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,914 SEK 18.9K

$758 MX$13.1K

152.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.06

11.45

-73.28%

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

Last update for Ystad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $845 in Ystad 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 152% higher in Ystad, 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 $90.0 in Ystad versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 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

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

Yes – Ystad is pricier by about 34%, 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 $2,537 per month in Ystad and $1,899 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 $1,692 in Ystad and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 178% 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 $1,266, than in Ystad at $1,692. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ystad 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, Ystad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.