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 $1,782 per month in Ystad vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,746 per month in Ystad vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,710 per month in Ystad vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ystad costs about 41% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ystad sits 34% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.68 SEK 111

$11.72 MX$203

-0.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 SEK 869

$41.89 MX$725

118.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 SEK 100.0

$10.51 MX$182

0.10%

Cappuccino

$3.94 SEK 37.43

$3.59 MX$62.0

9.75%

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

$3.08 SEK 29.23

$1.51 MX$26.10

103.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 24.46

$0.92 MX$15.83

180.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.37 SEK 60.5

$2.96 MX$51.2

115.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 SEK 74.5

$4.41 MX$76.3

77.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SEK 16.18

$1.40 MX$24.16

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 SEK 28.14

$1.88 MX$32.60

57.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 SEK 30.63

$1.56 MX$26.97

106.41%

Eggs

$3.08 SEK 29.29

$2.61 MX$45.14

18.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 SEK 109

$8.32 MX$144

37.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.72 SEK 92.4

$8.35 MX$145

16.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 SEK 179

$10.86 MX$188

73.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 30.23

$2.71 MX$46.93

17.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 SEK 26.03

$1.51 MX$26.04

81.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 28.54

$1.87 MX$32.41

60.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 SEK 41.69

$2.19 MX$37.89

100.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 SEK 16.38

$1.86 MX$32.14

-7.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.55

$2.23 MX$38.59

-12.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 SEK 21.04

$1.07 MX$18.48

107.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 SEK 14.63

$1.09 MX$18.79

41.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.90 SEK 75.0

$4.19 MX$72.4

88.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 SEK 115

$10.43 MX$180

16.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 SEK 21.36

$1.66 MX$28.68

35.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.71

$2.61 MX$45.19

-4.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 SEK 32.90

$0.54 MX$9.37

540.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 SEK 695

$26.16 MX$453

179.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 SEK 95.7

$3.08 MX$53.3

227.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 14.99

$2.40 MX$41.61

-34.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 SEK 584

$3.13 MX$54.1

1863.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.59

$1.31 MX$22.69

49.62%

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

$26.1K SEK 247.6K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-12.58%

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

$30.0K SEK 284.6K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

28.46%

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

$122 SEK 1,157

$81.3 MX$1,406

49.83%

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

$20.76 SEK 197

$22.56 MX$390

-7.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.02 SEK 304

$30.05 MX$520

6.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.08 SEK 390

$52.9 MX$915

-22.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.97 SEK 237

$18.39 MX$318

35.78%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 SEK 119

$4.92 MX$85.1

154.07%

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

$175 SEK 1,658

$201 MX$3,474

-13.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,121 SEK 39.2K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-20.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 SEK 507

$35.92 MX$622

48.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.62 SEK 376

$40.13 MX$694

-1.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 SEK 884

$79.7 MX$1,379

16.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 SEK 1,474

$86.5 MX$1,496

79.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 SEK 8,052

$978 MX$16.9K

-13.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 SEK 6,227

$470 MX$8,140

39.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 SEK 13.3K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-15.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 SEK 10.5K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-8.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,191 SEK 39.8K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

6.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,846 SEK 27.0K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-56.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,890 SEK 18.0K

$677 MX$11.7K

179.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-64.97%

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

Last update for Ystad: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $848 in Ystad versus $978 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 179% 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 $91.0 in Ystad versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $252 – 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 41%, 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 $2,673 per month in Ystad and $1,890 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 $1,782 in Ystad and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 180% 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 $1,260, than in Ystad at $1,782. 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.