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 $1,768 per month in Karlskrona vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,652 per month in Karlskrona vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,535 per month in Karlskrona vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Karlskrona costs about 36% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Karlskrona sits 32% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.32 SEK 124

$11.73 MX$203

13.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 SEK 645

$41.62 MX$720

66.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 SEK 86.0

$10.64 MX$184

-13.35%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SEK 37.16

$3.52 MX$60.9

13.07%

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

$1.45 SEK 13.48

$1.51 MX$26.12

-3.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.44

$0.97 MX$16.84

158.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.21 SEK 67.3

$2.95 MX$51.0

144.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 SEK 49.78

$4.45 MX$77.0

19.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 14.88

$1.38 MX$23.93

15.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 SEK 26.45

$1.89 MX$32.72

50.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 SEK 35.80

$1.64 MX$28.32

134.15%

Eggs

$4.07 SEK 38.01

$2.51 MX$43.34

62.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 SEK 107

$8.34 MX$144

37.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 SEK 111

$8.34 MX$144

43.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 SEK 149

$10.73 MX$186

48.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 SEK 30.13

$2.60 MX$45.04

24.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 SEK 22.69

$1.46 MX$25.20

66.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 29.96

$1.90 MX$32.87

68.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 SEK 43.31

$2.08 MX$35.91

123.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 SEK 14.07

$1.78 MX$30.71

-15.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 14.88

$2.19 MX$37.80

-26.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 SEK 20.69

$1.04 MX$17.99

113.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SEK 13.49

$1.08 MX$18.62

34.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.48 SEK 69.8

$4.08 MX$70.6

83.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.48 SEK 126

$10.32 MX$178

30.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 19.59

$1.71 MX$29.61

22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SEK 16.55

$2.58 MX$44.54

-31.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 SEK 28.24

$0.51 MX$8.81

494.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 SEK 608

$26.46 MX$458

146.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.57 SEK 136

$3.26 MX$56.4

346.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.47

$2.49 MX$43.09

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.00 SEK 196

$3.25 MX$56.2

546.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 SEK 17.49

$1.31 MX$22.61

42.75%

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

$33.1K SEK 308.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

9.21%

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

$34.1K SEK 317.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

45.33%

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

$53.3 SEK 497

$82.9 MX$1,433

-35.72%

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

$28.37 SEK 265

$22.22 MX$384

27.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.87 SEK 344

$29.34 MX$507

25.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 SEK 404

$51.6 MX$893

-16.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.03 SEK 224

$18.32 MX$317

31.17%

Cinema Ticket

$17.05 SEK 159

$5.07 MX$87.6

236.29%

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

$146 SEK 1,358

$201 MX$3,473

-27.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$753 SEK 7,026

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-85.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 967

$36.92 MX$639

180.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.86 SEK 195

$39.79 MX$688

-47.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 SEK 795

$78.5 MX$1,357

8.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 SEK 1,434

$87.1 MX$1,506

76.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 SEK 6,679

$973 MX$16.8K

-26.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 SEK 6,435

$468 MX$8,090

47.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 SEK 10.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-29.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 SEK 9,348

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-17.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,141 SEK 29.3K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-20.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,664 SEK 24.9K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-59.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,640 SEK 24.6K

$664 MX$11.5K

297.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.7

11.42

-58.84%

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

Last update for Karlskrona: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Karlskrona versus $973 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 298% 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 $69.0 in Karlskrona versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $249 – 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 36%, 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 $2,652 per month in Karlskrona and $1,945 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 $69.0 in Karlskrona and $42.00 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 $1,768 in Karlskrona and $1,297 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 $1,297, than in Karlskrona at $1,768. 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.