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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,023 per month in Kalmar vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,964 per month in Kalmar vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,906 per month in Kalmar vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kalmar costs about 55% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kalmar sits 47% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.61 SEK 151

$11.96 MX$203

30.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 SEK 701

$47.38 MX$805

52.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 SEK 107

$11.75 MX$200

-6.21%

Cappuccino

$4.63 SEK 44.92

$4.12 MX$70.1

12.38%

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

$2.85 SEK 27.69

$1.40 MX$23.78

103.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 SEK 25.90

$0.91 MX$15.50

193.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.86 SEK 95.6

$3.21 MX$54.5

207.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 SEK 69.6

$7.07 MX$120

1.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SEK 14.25

$1.68 MX$28.49

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 SEK 28.11

$2.15 MX$36.53

34.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 31.12

$1.77 MX$30.14

81.36%

Eggs

$4.78 SEK 46.41

$2.82 MX$47.83

69.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 SEK 112

$9.20 MX$156

25.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 110

$9.23 MX$157

23.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.74 SEK 221

$12.64 MX$215

79.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 SEK 24.58

$2.95 MX$50.1

-14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 28.17

$1.58 MX$26.83

83.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 SEK 31.57

$2.22 MX$37.76

46.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 SEK 39.76

$2.36 MX$40.15

73.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SEK 14.25

$1.99 MX$33.86

-26.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SEK 15.81

$1.98 MX$33.63

-17.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 SEK 19.27

$1.24 MX$21.07

60.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.87

$1.21 MX$20.58

43.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 78.2

$4.60 MX$78.2

75.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.21 SEK 89.4

$10.52 MX$179

-12.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 19.34

$1.69 MX$28.74

17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 25.06

$2.77 MX$47.13

-6.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 SEK 34.16

$0.60 MX$10.24

486.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.9 SEK 785

$29.70 MX$505

172.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 SEK 99.8

$5.24 MX$89.0

96.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SEK 16.96

$3.65 MX$62.0

-52.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.43 SEK 480

$5.78 MX$98.3

755.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.85

$1.54 MX$26.13

19.48%

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

$31.4K SEK 305.1K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

37.92%

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

$29.7K SEK 288.1K

$25.8K MX$438.5K

15.02%

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

$152 SEK 1,472

$90.7 MX$1,540

67.30%

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

$27.85 SEK 270

$25.19 MX$428

10.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.20 SEK 322

$31.75 MX$539

4.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.12 SEK 302

$68.8 MX$1,169

-54.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 SEK 249

$29.37 MX$499

-12.46%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 SEK 148

$4.86 MX$82.6

213.58%

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

$145 SEK 1,411

$226 MX$3,834

-35.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,972 SEK 48.2K

$4,194 MX$71.2K

18.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 SEK 512

$47.38 MX$805

11.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.03 SEK 437

$43.45 MX$738

3.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 SEK 812

$80.2 MX$1,363

4.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 SEK 998

$91.4 MX$1,552

12.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 SEK 8,937

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-15.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 SEK 7,769

$409 MX$6,943

95.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 SEK 13.3K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-30.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 SEK 11.2K

$1,281 MX$21.8K

-9.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,269 SEK 41.4K

$4,046 MX$68.7K

5.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,902 SEK 28.2K

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-56.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,984 SEK 29.0K

$773 MX$13.1K

285.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.93

11.45

-65.68%

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

Last update for Kalmar: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $921 in Kalmar versus $1,086 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 286% higher in Kalmar, 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 $72.0 in Kalmar versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $278 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,023 in Kalmar, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 55% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,035 per month in Kalmar and $1,958 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.

Kindergarten costs $145 per month in Kalmar and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Kalmar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Kalmar at $2,023. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalmar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $2,023 in Kalmar. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Kalmar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.