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 $1,767 per month in Karlstad vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,725 per month in Karlstad vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,683 per month in Karlstad vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Karlstad costs about 19% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Karlstad and Mexico City sit above the global median – Karlstad by 32%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.54 SEK 144

$12.98 MX$226

19.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 SEK 623

$53.1 MX$923

26.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 SEK 102

$9.72 MX$169

12.76%

Cappuccino

$4.81 SEK 44.62

$3.75 MX$65.2

28.27%

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

$2.57 SEK 23.79

$1.57 MX$27.30

63.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SEK 19.66

$1.13 MX$19.64

87.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.27 SEK 76.7

$3.18 MX$55.3

160.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 SEK 76.0

$4.66 MX$81.1

75.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 SEK 13.07

$1.62 MX$28.21

-12.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 SEK 26.43

$2.71 MX$47.09

5.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.12

$1.88 MX$32.70

101.60%

Eggs

$4.86 SEK 45.02

$2.51 MX$43.65

93.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 SEK 111

$10.08 MX$175

19.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 SEK 129

$8.29 MX$144

67.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 SEK 158

$11.94 MX$208

42.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 SEK 28.64

$2.86 MX$49.77

8.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 23.67

$1.75 MX$30.45

45.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 30.20

$2.08 MX$36.27

56.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 SEK 46.22

$1.97 MX$34.27

153.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.69

$2.16 MX$37.58

-26.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 16.10

$2.18 MX$37.94

-20.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 24.29

$1.39 MX$24.20

88.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 11.80

$1.12 MX$19.57

13.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 SEK 67.2

$4.20 MX$73.1

72.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 SEK 101

$14.25 MX$248

-23.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SEK 16.28

$1.76 MX$30.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 15.88

$3.68 MX$64.1

-53.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 29.63

$0.39 MX$6.71

720.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 SEK 788

$18.66 MX$325

355.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 SEK 52.7

$1.39 MX$24.12

309.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SEK 12.61

$0.30 MX$5.29

353.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 SEK 595

$5.42 MX$94.3

1083.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 18.67

$1.35 MX$23.50

48.89%

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

$32.0K SEK 296.4K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

69.34%

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

$34.0K SEK 315.0K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

46.79%

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

$108 SEK 1,001

$40.82 MX$710

164.55%

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

$29.61 SEK 274

$27.50 MX$479

7.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 SEK 398

$30.38 MX$529

41.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.25 SEK 429

$53.4 MX$930

-13.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 SEK 163

$26.30 MX$458

-33.23%

Cinema Ticket

$14.65 SEK 136

$6.27 MX$109

133.65%

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

$150 SEK 1,389

$436 MX$7,588

-65.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,178 SEK 29.5K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-69.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 SEK 804

$56.8 MX$988

52.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 SEK 390

$44.79 MX$779

-6.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 SEK 748

$103 MX$1,789

-21.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,363

$108 MX$1,878

36.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 9,695

$1,000 MX$17.4K

4.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SEK 5,303

$620 MX$10.8K

-7.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 SEK 11.5K

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-41.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$882 SEK 8,172

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-28.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,375 SEK 31.3K

$1,067 MX$18.6K

216.28%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,046 in Karlstad versus $1,000 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 216% 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 $67.0 in Karlstad versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $286 – 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 19%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,651 per month in Karlstad and $2,225 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 $67.0 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 $1,767 in Karlstad and $1,484 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 $1,484, than in Karlstad at $1,767. 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.