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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Karlskrona vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,583 per month in Karlskrona vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,528 per month in Karlskrona vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Karlskrona costs about 30% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Karlskrona sits 20% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.36 SEK 132

$11.60 MX$200

15.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 SEK 663

$47.11 MX$812

42.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 SEK 93.2

$11.88 MX$205

-20.37%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SEK 40.27

$3.98 MX$68.6

2.76%

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

$1.35 SEK 13.29

$1.43 MX$24.60

-5.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 SEK 22.49

$0.82 MX$14.22

178.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.32 SEK 72.2

$3.19 MX$55.0

129.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 SEK 50.7

$6.79 MX$117

-24.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 SEK 14.55

$1.68 MX$28.89

-11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 SEK 26.75

$2.20 MX$37.88

23.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 36.84

$1.71 MX$29.45

118.71%

Eggs

$4.61 SEK 45.44

$2.74 MX$47.26

68.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.87 SEK 107

$9.58 MX$165

13.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 SEK 131

$9.01 MX$155

47.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.32 SEK 171

$12.81 MX$221

35.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 SEK 30.99

$2.89 MX$49.81

9.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 SEK 23.33

$1.50 MX$25.81

58.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 SEK 29.10

$2.15 MX$37.03

37.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 SEK 44.87

$2.26 MX$38.96

101.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 SEK 14.89

$1.98 MX$34.15

-23.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SEK 14.91

$1.99 MX$34.30

-24.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 SEK 21.19

$1.23 MX$21.28

74.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SEK 14.51

$1.20 MX$20.63

22.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.15 SEK 70.5

$4.55 MX$78.5

57.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 SEK 126

$10.37 MX$179

23.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 19.43

$1.62 MX$27.91

21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SEK 17.30

$2.88 MX$49.67

-38.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 SEK 29.91

$0.60 MX$10.35

405.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 SEK 725

$28.80 MX$497

155.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SEK 134

$5.39 MX$92.9

151.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 SEK 19.76

$3.73 MX$64.3

-46.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.2 SEK 810

$5.77 MX$99.5

1324.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 SEK 16.84

$1.54 MX$26.48

11.04%

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

$33.2K SEK 327.0K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

47.17%

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

$33.4K SEK 329.3K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

28.23%

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

$52.6 SEK 518

$91.4 MX$1,576

-42.43%

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

$28.34 SEK 279

$25.20 MX$435

12.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.87 SEK 373

$31.24 MX$539

21.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.28 SEK 417

$67.2 MX$1,159

-37.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.72 SEK 244

$29.11 MX$502

-15.08%

Cinema Ticket

$16.62 SEK 164

$4.86 MX$83.8

241.98%

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

$164 SEK 1,618

$224 MX$3,856

-26.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 SEK 975

$47.10 MX$812

109.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.68 SEK 204

$44.29 MX$764

-53.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 SEK 806

$80.1 MX$1,381

2.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$178 SEK 1,756

$92.7 MX$1,598

92.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 SEK 6,762

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-35.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 SEK 5,879

$390 MX$6,728

52.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 SEK 11.2K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-46.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$963 SEK 9,494

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-24.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,944 SEK 29.0K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-26.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,555 SEK 25.2K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-60.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,546 SEK 25.1K

$758 MX$13.1K

235.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

11.45

-63.14%

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

Last update for Karlskrona: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $686 in Karlskrona 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 236% higher in Karlskrona, 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 $67.0 in Karlskrona versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 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

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

Yes – Karlskrona is pricier by about 30%, 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 $2,459 per month in Karlskrona 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Karlskrona and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Karlskrona and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Karlskrona at $1,639. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlskrona 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, Karlskrona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.