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 $1,727 per month in Karlskrona vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,601 per month in Karlskrona vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,475 per month in Karlskrona vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Karlskrona costs about 37% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Karlskrona sits 29% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.17 SEK 127

$11.99 MX$210

9.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 SEK 652

$41.78 MX$733

61.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 SEK 89.7

$10.75 MX$189

-13.67%

Cappuccino

$3.94 SEK 38.10

$3.50 MX$61.3

12.57%

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

$1.45 SEK 14.04

$1.45 MX$25.41

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 24.29

$0.88 MX$15.52

185.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.47 SEK 72.2

$2.95 MX$51.7

153.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 SEK 52.0

$4.51 MX$79.1

19.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 SEK 14.67

$1.43 MX$25.12

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 SEK 27.24

$1.84 MX$32.23

53.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 SEK 38.63

$1.57 MX$27.51

154.78%

Eggs

$3.94 SEK 38.05

$2.51 MX$44.06

56.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 SEK 112

$8.28 MX$145

40.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.68 SEK 113

$8.43 MX$148

38.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 SEK 154

$10.68 MX$187

49.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 SEK 30.03

$2.61 MX$45.76

19.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 SEK 24.46

$1.44 MX$25.22

75.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 SEK 29.36

$1.96 MX$34.41

55.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 SEK 45.24

$2.09 MX$36.74

123.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 SEK 14.48

$1.85 MX$32.47

-18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 15.06

$2.17 MX$38.02

-28.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 SEK 21.34

$1.03 MX$18.09

114.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SEK 14.17

$1.07 MX$18.84

37.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 SEK 69.2

$4.10 MX$72.0

74.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 SEK 124

$10.17 MX$178

26.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SEK 19.55

$1.68 MX$29.38

20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SEK 17.30

$2.53 MX$44.31

-29.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 SEK 28.35

$0.51 MX$8.93

474.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 SEK 630

$26.04 MX$457

150.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.39 SEK 139

$3.23 MX$56.7

345.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.36

$2.41 MX$42.19

-34.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.13 SEK 204

$3.23 MX$56.6

554.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.74

$1.32 MX$23.17

46.97%

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

$33.0K SEK 319.2K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

11.21%

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

$34.5K SEK 333.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

45.76%

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

$53.1 SEK 513

$82.0 MX$1,439

-35.23%

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

$28.35 SEK 274

$22.95 MX$403

23.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.07 SEK 358

$30.11 MX$528

23.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.47 SEK 430

$52.0 MX$912

-14.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 SEK 234

$18.53 MX$325

30.55%

Cinema Ticket

$17.06 SEK 165

$4.98 MX$87.3

242.57%

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

$142 SEK 1,375

$197 MX$3,463

-27.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$745 SEK 7,205

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-86.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 1,002

$35.60 MX$624

191.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.05 SEK 204

$40.33 MX$707

-47.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 SEK 807

$78.8 MX$1,381

6.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 SEK 1,498

$88.9 MX$1,560

74.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 SEK 6,813

$947 MX$16.6K

-25.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 SEK 6,688

$474 MX$8,314

45.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 SEK 11.1K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-30.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$998 SEK 9,647

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-17.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,021 SEK 29.2K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-25.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,550 SEK 24.6K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-60.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 SEK 24.2K

$654 MX$11.5K

282.52%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Karlskrona versus $947 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 283% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 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 37%, 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 $2,591 per month in Karlskrona and $1,884 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 $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 $1,727 in Karlskrona and $1,256 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 $1,256, than in Karlskrona at $1,727. 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.