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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,923 per month in Kiruna vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Kiruna vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,323 per month in Kiruna vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kiruna costs about 53% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kiruna sits 45% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.50 SEK 121

$11.72 MX$204

6.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.2 SEK 909

$41.89 MX$731

124.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 SEK 115

$10.51 MX$183

13.23%

Cappuccino

$4.82 SEK 46.44

$3.59 MX$62.5

34.26%

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

$2.14 SEK 20.67

$1.51 MX$26.31

41.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 SEK 10.23

$0.92 MX$15.96

15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.49 SEK 81.8

$2.96 MX$51.6

186.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 SEK 67.0

$4.41 MX$76.9

57.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.64

$1.40 MX$24.35

37.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 SEK 33.02

$1.88 MX$32.87

82.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.03 SEK 48.51

$1.56 MX$27.19

222.44%

Eggs

$4.76 SEK 45.92

$2.61 MX$45.50

82.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.74 SEK 123

$8.32 MX$145

53.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.17 SEK 137

$8.35 MX$146

69.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.29 SEK 263

$10.86 MX$189

151.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 SEK 25.32

$2.71 MX$47.31

-2.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 27.29

$1.51 MX$26.25

87.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 25.26

$1.87 MX$32.67

40.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 SEK 41.71

$2.19 MX$38.19

97.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 SEK 21.24

$1.86 MX$32.40

18.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 SEK 15.80

$2.23 MX$38.90

-26.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.53 SEK 34.07

$1.07 MX$18.63

229.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SEK 14.00

$1.09 MX$18.94

33.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.46 SEK 71.9

$4.19 MX$73.0

78.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 SEK 91.5

$10.43 MX$182

-9.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SEK 18.07

$1.66 MX$28.91

12.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SEK 17.16

$2.61 MX$45.56

-31.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 32.17

$0.54 MX$9.45

518.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 SEK 721

$26.16 MX$456

186.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.40 SEK 90.6

$3.08 MX$53.7

205.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.35

$2.40 MX$41.94

-33.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.7 SEK 701

$3.13 MX$54.5

2222.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.79

$1.31 MX$22.87

48.85%

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

$32.9K SEK 317.0K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

10.32%

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

$34.9K SEK 336.2K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

49.53%

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

$169 SEK 1,634

$81.3 MX$1,418

108.51%

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

$32.04 SEK 309

$22.56 MX$393

42.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.79 SEK 268

$30.05 MX$524

-7.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 SEK 451

$52.9 MX$923

-11.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.54 SEK 246

$18.39 MX$321

38.88%

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 SEK 131

$4.92 MX$85.8

176.02%

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

$164 SEK 1,578

$201 MX$3,502

-18.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,136 SEK 39.9K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-20.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 SEK 1,202

$35.92 MX$627

247.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.11 SEK 329

$40.13 MX$700

-15.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 SEK 1,246

$79.7 MX$1,390

62.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 SEK 1,633

$86.5 MX$1,508

95.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 SEK 8,090

$978 MX$17.1K

-14.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 SEK 6,059

$470 MX$8,206

33.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 SEK 13.5K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-14.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 SEK 11.0K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-5.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,318 SEK 41.6K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

9.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,801 SEK 27.0K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-57.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,319 SEK 32.0K

$677 MX$11.8K

390.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-64.97%

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

Last update for Kiruna: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $839 in Kiruna 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 391% higher in Kiruna, 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 $94.0 in Kiruna versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,923 in Kiruna, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 53% apart. Kiruna costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,885 per month in Kiruna 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.

Groceries cost about 67% more in Kiruna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Kiruna and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Kiruna at $1,923. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kiruna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $1,923 in Kiruna. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Kiruna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.