Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlstad and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Karlstad vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,699 per month in Karlstad vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,658 per month in Karlstad vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Karlstad sits 29% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.95 SEK 150

$11.87 MX$204

34.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 SEK 645

$42.90 MX$736

60.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 SEK 105

$10.65 MX$183

4.88%

Cappuccino

$4.96 SEK 46.57

$3.45 MX$59.2

43.77%

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

$2.70 SEK 25.36

$1.50 MX$25.81

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 20.67

$0.95 MX$16.28

131.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.52 SEK 79.9

$3.03 MX$51.9

181.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 78.0

$4.61 MX$79.1

80.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 SEK 13.47

$1.38 MX$23.61

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 SEK 27.11

$1.85 MX$31.70

56.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 SEK 36.78

$1.61 MX$27.65

143.48%

Eggs

$4.76 SEK 44.61

$2.59 MX$44.51

83.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.33 SEK 116

$8.26 MX$142

49.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.25 SEK 134

$8.37 MX$144

70.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.02 SEK 160

$10.66 MX$183

59.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.05

$2.63 MX$45.12

13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.24

$1.49 MX$25.53

73.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SEK 30.32

$1.92 MX$32.94

68.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SEK 47.62

$2.09 MX$35.81

143.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.82

$1.86 MX$31.88

-15.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 SEK 16.41

$2.26 MX$38.81

-22.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.43

$1.06 MX$18.23

145.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 SEK 11.86

$1.09 MX$18.67

15.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SEK 68.4

$4.15 MX$71.2

75.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 SEK 100

$10.39 MX$178

2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.33

$1.72 MX$29.59

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SEK 15.85

$2.61 MX$44.85

-35.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 30.06

$0.54 MX$9.30

492.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.3 SEK 800

$26.94 MX$462

216.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.74 SEK 53.9

$3.13 MX$53.7

83.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 SEK 12.62

$2.51 MX$43.09

-46.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.6 SEK 606

$3.15 MX$54.1

1949.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.65

$1.27 MX$21.88

56.69%

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

$32.0K SEK 300.0K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

5.29%

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

$34.4K SEK 322.5K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

45.90%

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

$104 SEK 979

$83.0 MX$1,425

25.76%

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

$29.36 SEK 275

$22.71 MX$390

29.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.62 SEK 409

$29.46 MX$506

48.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.21 SEK 433

$51.0 MX$875

-9.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 SEK 162

$18.33 MX$315

-5.89%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 SEK 134

$4.93 MX$84.5

189.25%

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

$146 SEK 1,374

$197 MX$3,386

-25.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,179 SEK 29.8K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-39.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 SEK 811

$36.90 MX$633

134.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.41 SEK 388

$39.89 MX$685

3.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 SEK 775

$80.0 MX$1,373

3.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 SEK 1,386

$89.5 MX$1,536

65.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 SEK 9,987

$956 MX$16.4K

11.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SEK 5,365

$477 MX$8,189

19.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 SEK 11.4K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-26.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 SEK 8,512

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-25.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,261 SEK 30.6K

$667 MX$11.4K

388.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

11.42

-57.97%

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

Last update for Karlstad: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,065 in Karlstad versus $956 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 389% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $250 – 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

Karlstad vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karlstad 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 $2,609 per month in Karlstad and $1,906 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 $69.0 in Karlstad and $43.00 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 $1,739 in Karlstad and $1,271 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 $1,271, than in Karlstad at $1,739. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlstad 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, Karlstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.