😐A single person spends $1,767 per month in Karlstad vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,725 per month in Karlstad vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,683 per month in Karlstad vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐Karlstad costs about 37% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Karlstad sits 32% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Karlstad
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.54SEK 144
$11.94MX$208
30.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.2SEK 623
$42.75MX$744
57.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.96SEK 102
$10.59MX$184
3.49%
Cappuccino
$4.81SEK 44.62
$3.62MX$63.0
32.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57SEK 23.79
$1.47MX$25.54
74.83%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12SEK 19.66
$0.94MX$16.41
125.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.27SEK 76.7
$3.09MX$53.8
167.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.20SEK 76.0
$4.46MX$77.6
83.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karlstad
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.41SEK 13.07
$1.43MX$24.80
-1.40%
White Bread(500g)
$2.85SEK 26.43
$1.88MX$32.79
51.60%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.79SEK 35.12
$1.63MX$28.34
132.52%
Eggs
$4.86SEK 45.02
$2.64MX$45.99
84.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.00SEK 111
$8.21MX$143
46.16%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.92SEK 129
$8.29MX$144
67.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.02SEK 158
$11.10MX$193
53.33%
Apples(1kg)
$3.09SEK 28.64
$2.65MX$46.14
16.60%
Banana(1kg)
$2.55SEK 23.67
$1.50MX$26.11
70.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.26SEK 30.20
$1.99MX$34.59
63.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.99SEK 46.22
$2.08MX$36.13
139.90%
Potato(1kg)
$1.58SEK 14.69
$1.79MX$31.11
-11.73%
Onion(1kg)
$1.74SEK 16.10
$2.18MX$37.87
-20.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.62SEK 24.29
$1.08MX$18.73
142.59%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27SEK 11.80
$1.04MX$18.04
22.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.25SEK 67.2
$3.97MX$69.1
82.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.87SEK 101
$10.20MX$178
6.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76SEK 16.28
$1.73MX$30.04
1.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71SEK 15.88
$2.50MX$43.46
-31.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Karlstad
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.20SEK 29.63
$0.52MX$9.02
515.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$85.0SEK 788
$26.97MX$469
215.24%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.69SEK 52.7
$3.14MX$54.7
81.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.36SEK 12.61
$2.40MX$41.80
-43.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$64.2SEK 595
$3.09MX$53.7
1976.38%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.01SEK 18.67
$1.27MX$22.16
58.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.0KSEK 296.4K
$30.9KMX$537.3K
3.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.0KSEK 315.0K
$23.3KMX$405.7K
45.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karlstad
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$108SEK 1,001
$82.0MX$1,427
31.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.61SEK 274
$22.45MX$391
31.89%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.92SEK 398
$29.66MX$516
44.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karlstad
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.25SEK 429
$51.9MX$903
-10.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.56SEK 163
$18.67MX$325
-5.95%
Cinema Ticket
$14.65SEK 136
$4.97MX$86.5
194.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karlstad
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$150SEK 1,389
$198MX$3,442
-24.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,178SEK 29.5K
$5,273MX$91.7K
-39.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karlstad
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.7SEK 804
$36.34MX$632
138.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.09SEK 390
$40.05MX$697
5.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.7SEK 748
$79.9MX$1,390
1.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$147SEK 1,363
$88.9MX$1,547
65.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karlstad
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,046SEK 9,695
$963MX$16.8K
8.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$572SEK 5,303
$465MX$8,086
23.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,240SEK 11.5K
$1,596MX$27.8K
-22.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$882SEK 8,172
$1,209MX$21.0K
-27.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karlstad
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,375SEK 31.3K
$720MX$12.5K
368.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.8
11.42
-57.97%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Karlstad: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,046 in Karlstad versus $963 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 369% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Karlstad vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Karlstad?
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.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,651 per month in Karlstad and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Karlstad or Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 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.
What are total monthly expenses in Karlstad vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,767 in Karlstad and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Karlstad or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Karlstad at $1,767. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlstad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Karlstad or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Karlstad or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Karlstad vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado