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 $1,779 per month in Karlstad vs $1,472 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,685 per month in Karlstad vs $2,359 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,592 per month in Karlstad vs $3,245 in Mexico City, rent included.

Karlstad costs about 21% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Karlstad and Mexico City sit above the global median – Karlstad by 34%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.58 SEK 148

$13.14 MX$227

18.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 SEK 655

$53.5 MX$926

28.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 SEK 104

$9.33 MX$161

17.58%

Cappuccino

$4.83 SEK 45.88

$3.70 MX$64.0

30.54%

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

$2.58 SEK 24.54

$1.60 MX$27.76

61.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SEK 20.98

$1.12 MX$19.34

97.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.25 SEK 78.4

$3.14 MX$54.3

162.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.26 SEK 78.5

$4.85 MX$83.9

70.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 SEK 13.17

$1.65 MX$28.61

-15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 SEK 27.01

$2.71 MX$46.96

4.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 36.72

$1.91 MX$33.03

102.62%

Eggs

$4.78 SEK 45.44

$2.59 MX$44.81

84.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 SEK 116

$9.81 MX$170

23.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 SEK 136

$8.43 MX$146

69.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.93 SEK 161

$11.93 MX$206

41.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 28.28

$2.95 MX$51.1

1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 24.21

$1.74 MX$30.10

46.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 30.95

$2.04 MX$35.38

59.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SEK 48.24

$2.06 MX$35.64

146.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 SEK 15.68

$2.15 MX$37.20

-23.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 16.87

$2.26 MX$39.02

-21.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 SEK 25.58

$1.39 MX$23.97

93.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 SEK 12.36

$1.12 MX$19.31

16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 69.4

$4.22 MX$73.0

72.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 SEK 98.1

$17.51 MX$303

-41.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SEK 16.62

$1.71 MX$29.58

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 16.16

$3.63 MX$62.8

-53.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.18

$0.35 MX$6.10

837.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.6 SEK 794

$19.32 MX$334

332.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 SEK 55.3

$1.38 MX$23.80

321.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 SEK 12.75

$0.28 MX$4.77

378.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.1 SEK 619

$5.28 MX$91.3

1133.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.45

$1.36 MX$23.50

42.65%

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

$33.1K SEK 314.9K

$19.1K MX$330.5K

73.50%

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

$34.6K SEK 328.2K

$23.6K MX$408.4K

46.36%

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

$104 SEK 992

$40.53 MX$701

157.64%

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

$29.68 SEK 282

$27.38 MX$474

8.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 SEK 406

$30.38 MX$526

40.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.46 SEK 441

$52.2 MX$903

-11.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.05 SEK 162

$26.48 MX$458

-35.61%

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 SEK 137

$6.19 MX$107

133.28%

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

$150 SEK 1,422

$425 MX$7,355

-64.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,150 SEK 29.9K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-70.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 SEK 837

$58.3 MX$1,009

51.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.71 SEK 396

$44.57 MX$771

-6.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 SEK 790

$103 MX$1,791

-19.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,401

$109 MX$1,881

35.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 SEK 10.0K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

4.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 SEK 5,599

$623 MX$10.8K

-5.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 SEK 11.8K

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-41.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 SEK 8,604

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-25.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 SEK 29.9K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

199.16%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,056 in Karlstad versus $1,014 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 199% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $293 – 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 21%, 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 $2,668 per month in Karlstad and $2,208 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 $54.0 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 $1,779 in Karlstad and $1,472 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 $1,472, than in Karlstad at $1,779. 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.