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 $1,787 per month in Karlstad vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,727 per month in Karlstad vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,666 per month in Karlstad vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Karlstad costs about 8% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Karlstad and Mexico City sit above the global median – Karlstad by 31%, Mexico City by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 SEK 150

$11.92 MX$206

28.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.9 SEK 797

$51.6 MX$890

56.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 SEK 102

$11.41 MX$197

-9.03%

Cappuccino

$4.93 SEK 48.57

$3.99 MX$68.9

23.56%

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

$2.55 SEK 25.09

$1.66 MX$28.61

53.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 20.17

$1.33 MX$22.87

54.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 SEK 80.1

$3.47 MX$59.9

134.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 SEK 64.8

$5.90 MX$102

11.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 15.12

$1.88 MX$32.36

-18.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 SEK 28.38

$3.25 MX$56.1

-11.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 36.51

$2.16 MX$37.26

71.30%

Eggs

$4.55 SEK 44.82

$2.90 MX$49.94

56.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 SEK 101

$12.86 MX$222

-20.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 SEK 142

$10.05 MX$173

43.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.10 SEK 178

$15.86 MX$273

14.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 29.58

$3.29 MX$56.8

-8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 26.58

$2.01 MX$34.60

34.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 30.90

$2.20 MX$37.93

42.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 SEK 54.2

$2.36 MX$40.63

133.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.78

$2.05 MX$35.43

-12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 17.13

$1.90 MX$32.79

-8.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 SEK 26.63

$1.61 MX$27.68

67.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 13.23

$1.40 MX$24.09

-4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 SEK 69.8

$5.46 MX$94.2

29.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 SEK 100

$17.65 MX$304

-42.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 SEK 24.00

$2.06 MX$35.44

18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SEK 20.28

$4.68 MX$80.8

-55.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 SEK 32.12

$0.34 MX$5.84

858.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.4 SEK 802

$20.81 MX$359

291.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 SEK 55.7

$2.10 MX$36.15

169.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SEK 13.30

$0.56 MX$9.64

141.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.5 SEK 626

$5.81 MX$100

993.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 SEK 18.04

$1.61 MX$27.68

13.66%

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

$34.0K SEK 334.9K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

48.80%

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

$33.0K SEK 325.5K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

23.47%

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

$102 SEK 1,005

$65.2 MX$1,124

56.41%

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

$18.84 SEK 186

$30.09 MX$519

-37.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.60 SEK 440

$37.18 MX$641

19.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.80 SEK 461

$59.8 MX$1,030

-21.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 SEK 168

$26.55 MX$458

-35.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 SEK 145

$7.04 MX$121

109.23%

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

$132 SEK 1,298

$465 MX$8,012

-71.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 SEK 918

$75.9 MX$1,308

22.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.89 SEK 403

$56.0 MX$965

-26.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 SEK 744

$112 MX$1,929

-32.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 SEK 1,435

$121 MX$2,078

20.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 SEK 8,673

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-20.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 SEK 5,873

$721 MX$12.4K

-17.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SEK 12.0K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-51.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 SEK 8,485

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-33.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,869 SEK 38.1K

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-3.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,857 SEK 28.2K

$2,090 MX$36.0K

36.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,074 SEK 30.3K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

196.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.94

11.3

-65.13%

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

Last update for Karlstad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Karlstad versus $1,103 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 196% 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 $81.0 in Karlstad versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $345 – 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 8%, 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 $2,681 per month in Karlstad and $2,489 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 $81.0 in Karlstad and $52.0 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 $1,787 in Karlstad and $1,660 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Karlstad at $1,787. 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.