Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kista and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,724 in Kista, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Kista, Sweden
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Kista
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,724
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kista and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kista and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,724 per month in Kista vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Kista $1,724
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,694 per month in Kista vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Kista $2,694
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,664 per month in Kista vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Kista $3,664
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Kista costs about 43% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Kista sits 27% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kista
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.46 SEK 134
$10.92 MX$204
23.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.2 SEK 746
$43.37 MX$808
73.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.13 SEK 101
$11.78 MX$220
-14.01%
Cappuccino
$4.56 SEK 45.29
$3.81 MX$71.0
19.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 SEK 26.57
$1.28 MX$23.90
109.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 SEK 21.73
$0.78 MX$14.59
180.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.96 SEK 69.2
$3.17 MX$59.0
119.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.00 SEK 69.5
$4.93 MX$92.0
41.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kista
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 SEK 16.29
$1.41 MX$26.22
16.31%
White Bread (500g)
$2.75 SEK 27.30
$2.22 MX$41.33
23.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.44 SEK 34.14
$1.42 MX$26.42
142.25%
Eggs
$4.01 SEK 39.83
$2.52 MX$47.03
59.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.21 SEK 121
$7.26 MX$135
68.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.11 SEK 120
$7.70 MX$143
57.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.14 SEK 170
$12.69 MX$237
35.07%
Apples (1kg)
$3.03 SEK 30.06
$2.78 MX$51.9
8.99%
Banana (1kg)
$2.52 SEK 25.01
$1.37 MX$25.50
83.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 SEK 28.81
$2.55 MX$47.55
13.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.36 SEK 43.34
$2.12 MX$39.58
105.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 SEK 16.03
$1.94 MX$36.13
-17.01%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 SEK 16.12
$1.89 MX$35.16
-14.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.28 SEK 22.67
$1.15 MX$21.37
98.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 SEK 14.42
$1.18 MX$21.98
22.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.27 SEK 72.3
$4.30 MX$80.1
69.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.93 SEK 98.6
$9.95 MX$185
-0.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 SEK 19.31
$1.58 MX$29.52
22.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 SEK 22.81
$2.67 MX$49.79
-13.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Kista
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.25 SEK 32.30
$0.55 MX$10.31
490.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.1 SEK 775
$26.62 MX$496
193.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 SEK 60.6
$4.97 MX$92.6
22.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.69 SEK 16.75
$3.33 MX$62.1
-49.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$58.9 SEK 585
$5.36 MX$99.8
999.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 SEK 17.78
$1.44 MX$26.92
24.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K SEK 324.9K
$20.7K MX$385.2K
58.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K SEK 335.9K
$23.5K MX$437.4K
44.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kista
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 SEK 1,031
$84.8 MX$1,581
22.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.86 SEK 257
$23.41 MX$436
10.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.31 SEK 390
$28.66 MX$534
37.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kista
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.24 SEK 370
$57.1 MX$1,063
-34.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.02 SEK 258
$28.91 MX$539
-10.00%
Cinema Ticket
$16.08 SEK 160
$5.14 MX$95.8
212.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kista
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$159 SEK 1,583
$207 MX$3,851
-22.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,088 SEK 50.5K
$3,927 MX$73.2K
29.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kista
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.4 SEK 977
$43.35 MX$808
126.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.15 SEK 399
$41.44 MX$772
-3.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.7 SEK 910
$74.2 MX$1,383
23.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 SEK 1,393
$89.3 MX$1,664
57.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kista
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$795 SEK 7,893
$980 MX$18.3K
-18.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$598 SEK 5,937
$381 MX$7,099
56.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,370 SEK 13.6K
$1,708 MX$31.8K
-19.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,001 SEK 9,945
$1,075 MX$20.0K
-6.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,976 SEK 39.5K
$3,943 MX$73.5K
0.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,847 SEK 28.3K
$6,158 MX$114.8K
-53.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kista
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$735 MX$13.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.37
11.45
-70.57%

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

Last update for Kista: October 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kista
$598
Playa del Carmen
$381 36.3% $217
Groceries & Markets
Kista
$355
Playa del Carmen
$255 28.2% $100
Eating Out
Kista
$261
Playa del Carmen
$202 22.5% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kista
$169
Playa del Carmen
$137 19% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Kista
$167
Playa del Carmen
$112 33% $55
Getting Around
Kista
$106
Playa del Carmen
$50 52.2% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Kista
$69
Playa del Carmen
$67 3% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Kista versus $980 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Kista versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Kista
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
23:14 11:14 PM
17:14 5:14 PM
6 h behind Kista
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,254
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.93 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.06 SEK (100 SEK = 9.05 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kista Playa del Carmen 8,860 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kista
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kista vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kista or Playa del Carmen?
Kista costs about 43% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kista and in Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,587 per month in Kista and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kista or Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kista, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $795 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
How much does it cost to live in Kista compared to Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,724 in Kista and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 30% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Kista compared to Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 66% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Kista or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Kista at $1,724. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kista it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kista or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,204 versus $1,724 in Kista. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Kista vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?