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 $1,779 per month in Karlstad vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,685 per month in Karlstad vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,592 per month in Karlstad vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Karlstad costs about 41% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Karlstad sits 34% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.58 SEK 148

$11.72 MX$203

32.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 SEK 655

$41.89 MX$725

64.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 SEK 104

$10.51 MX$182

4.38%

Cappuccino

$4.83 SEK 45.88

$3.59 MX$62.0

34.54%

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

$2.58 SEK 24.54

$1.51 MX$26.10

70.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SEK 20.98

$0.92 MX$15.83

140.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.25 SEK 78.4

$2.96 MX$51.2

178.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.26 SEK 78.5

$4.41 MX$76.3

87.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 SEK 13.17

$1.40 MX$24.16

-0.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 SEK 27.01

$1.88 MX$32.60

51.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 36.72

$1.56 MX$26.97

148.08%

Eggs

$4.78 SEK 45.44

$2.61 MX$45.14

83.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 SEK 116

$8.32 MX$144

46.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 SEK 136

$8.35 MX$145

71.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.93 SEK 161

$10.86 MX$188

55.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 28.28

$2.71 MX$46.93

9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 24.21

$1.51 MX$26.04

68.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 SEK 30.95

$1.87 MX$32.41

74.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 SEK 48.24

$2.19 MX$37.89

131.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 SEK 15.68

$1.86 MX$32.14

-11.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 16.87

$2.23 MX$38.59

-20.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 SEK 25.58

$1.07 MX$18.48

151.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 SEK 12.36

$1.09 MX$18.79

19.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 69.4

$4.19 MX$72.4

74.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 SEK 98.1

$10.43 MX$180

-1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SEK 16.62

$1.66 MX$28.68

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 16.16

$2.61 MX$45.19

-34.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 SEK 31.18

$0.54 MX$9.37

507.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.6 SEK 794

$26.16 MX$453

219.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 SEK 55.3

$3.08 MX$53.3

88.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 SEK 12.75

$2.40 MX$41.61

-44.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.1 SEK 619

$3.13 MX$54.1

1980.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.45

$1.31 MX$22.69

48.09%

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

$33.1K SEK 314.9K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

11.20%

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

$34.6K SEK 328.2K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

48.14%

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

$104 SEK 992

$81.3 MX$1,406

28.47%

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

$29.68 SEK 282

$22.56 MX$390

31.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 SEK 406

$30.05 MX$520

42.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.46 SEK 441

$52.9 MX$915

-12.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.05 SEK 162

$18.39 MX$318

-7.29%

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 SEK 137

$4.92 MX$85.1

193.50%

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

$150 SEK 1,422

$201 MX$3,474

-25.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,150 SEK 29.9K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-39.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 SEK 837

$35.92 MX$622

145.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.71 SEK 396

$40.13 MX$694

3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 SEK 790

$79.7 MX$1,379

4.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 SEK 1,401

$86.5 MX$1,496

70.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 SEK 10.0K

$978 MX$16.9K

7.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 SEK 5,599

$470 MX$8,140

25.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 SEK 11.8K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-24.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 SEK 8,604

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-24.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 SEK 29.9K

$677 MX$11.7K

365.20%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,056 in Karlstad versus $978 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 365% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $252 – 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 41%, 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 $2,668 per month in Karlstad and $1,890 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 $42.00 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 $1,779 in Karlstad and $1,260 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 $1,260, than in Karlstad at $1,779. 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.