Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Karlstad vs $1,447 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,699 per month in Karlstad vs $2,310 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,658 per month in Karlstad vs $3,174 in Mexico City, rent included.

Karlstad costs about 20% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Karlstad and Mexico City sit above the global median – Karlstad by 29%, Mexico City by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 SEK 150

$12.98 MX$223

22.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 SEK 645

$52.6 MX$903

30.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 SEK 105

$9.43 MX$162

18.45%

Cappuccino

$4.96 SEK 46.57

$3.57 MX$61.3

38.94%

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

$2.70 SEK 25.36

$1.61 MX$27.55

67.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 20.67

$1.15 MX$19.81

91.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.52 SEK 79.9

$3.15 MX$54.0

170.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 78.0

$4.86 MX$83.4

70.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 SEK 13.47

$1.70 MX$29.17

-15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 SEK 27.11

$2.64 MX$45.23

9.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 SEK 36.78

$1.90 MX$32.67

106.32%

Eggs

$4.76 SEK 44.61

$2.54 MX$43.62

87.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 SEK 116

$10.08 MX$173

22.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.25 SEK 134

$8.29 MX$142

71.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 SEK 160

$11.57 MX$199

47.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.05

$3.03 MX$52.0

-1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.24

$1.71 MX$29.35

50.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SEK 30.32

$2.05 MX$35.16

57.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SEK 47.62

$2.06 MX$35.36

146.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.82

$2.06 MX$35.43

-23.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 SEK 16.41

$2.17 MX$37.25

-19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.43

$1.40 MX$24.08

85.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 SEK 11.86

$1.12 MX$19.26

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SEK 68.4

$4.29 MX$73.7

69.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 SEK 100

$15.41 MX$265

-30.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.33

$1.67 MX$28.74

4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SEK 15.85

$3.69 MX$63.3

-54.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 30.06

$0.38 MX$6.55

742.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.3 SEK 800

$19.06 MX$327

347.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.74 SEK 53.9

$1.38 MX$23.70

315.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 SEK 12.62

$0.28 MX$4.74

378.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.6 SEK 606

$5.42 MX$92.9

1090.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.65

$1.28 MX$21.98

55.47%

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

$32.0K SEK 300.0K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

68.49%

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

$34.4K SEK 322.5K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

46.55%

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

$104 SEK 979

$41.02 MX$704

154.46%

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

$29.36 SEK 275

$26.92 MX$462

9.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.62 SEK 409

$29.69 MX$510

46.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.21 SEK 433

$52.3 MX$898

-11.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 SEK 162

$26.23 MX$450

-34.24%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 SEK 134

$6.18 MX$106

130.74%

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

$146 SEK 1,374

$427 MX$7,331

-65.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,179 SEK 29.8K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-70.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 SEK 811

$56.8 MX$975

52.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.41 SEK 388

$44.83 MX$769

-7.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 SEK 775

$105 MX$1,794

-21.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 SEK 1,386

$106 MX$1,819

39.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 SEK 9,987

$995 MX$17.1K

7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SEK 5,365

$621 MX$10.7K

-7.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 SEK 11.4K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-42.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 SEK 8,512

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-27.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,261 SEK 30.6K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

194.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

11.34

-57.67%

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

Last update for Karlstad: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,065 in Karlstad versus $995 in Mexico City. 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 195% higher in Karlstad, 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 Karlstad versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $288 – making Mexico City 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

Karlstad vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karlstad is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,609 per month in Karlstad and $2,171 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, 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 Karlstad and $53.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,739 in Karlstad and $1,447 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,447, than in Karlstad at $1,739. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlstad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – 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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Karlstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.