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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,797 per month in Kista vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,818 per month in Kista vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,838 per month in Kista vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Kista 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

$13.28 SEK 125

$11.87 MX$204

11.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 SEK 689

$42.90 MX$736

71.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 SEK 97.7

$10.65 MX$183

-2.25%

Cappuccino

$4.74 SEK 44.50

$3.45 MX$59.2

37.39%

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

$2.78 SEK 26.06

$1.50 MX$25.81

85.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.58

$0.95 MX$16.28

153.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 SEK 74.2

$3.03 MX$51.9

161.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 SEK 71.1

$4.61 MX$79.1

64.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.21

$1.38 MX$23.61

17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 SEK 26.51

$1.85 MX$31.70

52.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 SEK 36.42

$1.61 MX$27.65

140.99%

Eggs

$4.26 SEK 39.96

$2.59 MX$44.51

64.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 114

$8.26 MX$142

46.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 112

$8.37 MX$144

42.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.94 SEK 159

$10.66 MX$183

58.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 SEK 29.61

$2.63 MX$45.12

20.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.25

$1.49 MX$25.53

73.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 29.05

$1.92 MX$32.94

61.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 SEK 40.52

$2.09 MX$35.81

106.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 SEK 15.42

$1.86 MX$31.88

-11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 SEK 16.62

$2.26 MX$38.81

-21.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.50

$1.06 MX$18.23

146.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SEK 14.32

$1.09 MX$18.67

40.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 68.5

$4.15 MX$71.2

75.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.33 SEK 87.5

$10.39 MX$178

-10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.51

$1.72 MX$29.59

14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.41

$2.61 MX$44.85

-24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 SEK 32.62

$0.54 MX$9.30

544.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 SEK 681

$26.94 MX$462

169.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 SEK 58.6

$3.13 MX$53.7

99.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.36

$2.51 MX$43.09

-34.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 SEK 585

$3.15 MX$54.1

1879.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.46

$1.27 MX$21.88

55.12%

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

$32.0K SEK 299.8K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

5.21%

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

$33.8K SEK 317.2K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

43.49%

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

$115 SEK 1,081

$83.0 MX$1,425

38.86%

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

$28.56 SEK 268

$22.71 MX$390

25.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.92 SEK 346

$29.46 MX$506

25.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.61 SEK 381

$51.0 MX$875

-20.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.55 SEK 240

$18.33 MX$315

39.39%

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 SEK 150

$4.93 MX$84.5

225.15%

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

$149 SEK 1,401

$197 MX$3,386

-24.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,113 SEK 38.6K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-22.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 SEK 884

$36.90 MX$633

155.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.09 SEK 376

$39.89 MX$685

0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 SEK 899

$80.0 MX$1,373

19.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 SEK 1,440

$89.5 MX$1,536

71.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 SEK 7,807

$956 MX$16.4K

-12.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 SEK 6,044

$477 MX$8,189

35.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 SEK 13.1K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-15.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 SEK 10.0K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-12.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,549 SEK 42.7K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

16.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,994 SEK 28.1K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-53.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

11.42

-60.33%

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

Last update for Kista: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Kista 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Kista versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 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

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

Kista costs about 41% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,696 per month in Kista 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,797 in Kista and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 169% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Kista at $1,797. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kista it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,271 versus $1,797 in Kista. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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