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 $1,780 per month in Kista vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,756 per month in Kista vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Kista vs $2,990 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

$13.69 SEK 132

$11.72 MX$204

16.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 SEK 705

$41.89 MX$731

74.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 SEK 101

$10.51 MX$183

0.10%

Cappuccino

$4.60 SEK 44.34

$3.59 MX$62.5

28.13%

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

$2.70 SEK 25.99

$1.51 MX$26.31

78.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 24.07

$0.92 MX$15.96

171.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 SEK 75.8

$2.96 MX$51.6

165.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 SEK 69.3

$4.41 MX$76.9

62.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.59

$1.40 MX$24.35

15.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 SEK 26.46

$1.88 MX$32.87

45.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 SEK 36.65

$1.56 MX$27.19

143.59%

Eggs

$4.24 SEK 40.86

$2.61 MX$45.50

62.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.84 SEK 114

$8.32 MX$145

42.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.58 SEK 112

$8.35 MX$146

38.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 SEK 165

$10.86 MX$189

58.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 SEK 30.89

$2.71 MX$47.31

18.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 26.09

$1.51 MX$26.25

79.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 29.90

$1.87 MX$32.67

65.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 SEK 42.35

$2.19 MX$38.19

100.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.62

$1.86 MX$32.40

-12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.31

$2.23 MX$38.90

-19.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 SEK 24.89

$1.07 MX$18.63

141.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SEK 14.59

$1.09 MX$18.94

38.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.27 SEK 70.1

$4.19 MX$73.0

73.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 SEK 94.8

$10.43 MX$182

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 SEK 18.44

$1.66 MX$28.91

15.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SEK 18.30

$2.61 MX$45.56

-27.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 SEK 33.01

$0.54 MX$9.45

533.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 SEK 715

$26.16 MX$456

183.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.38 SEK 61.6

$3.08 MX$53.7

107.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 15.47

$2.40 MX$41.94

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.1 SEK 608

$3.13 MX$54.5

1915.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.35

$1.31 MX$22.87

45.04%

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

$32.2K SEK 310.2K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

7.96%

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

$34.0K SEK 327.8K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

45.80%

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

$114 SEK 1,101

$81.3 MX$1,418

40.48%

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

$28.54 SEK 275

$22.56 MX$393

26.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.96 SEK 356

$30.05 MX$524

23.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.39 SEK 389

$52.9 MX$923

-23.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.40 SEK 245

$18.39 MX$321

38.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 SEK 150

$4.92 MX$85.8

217.28%

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

$145 SEK 1,400

$201 MX$3,502

-27.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,118 SEK 39.7K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-20.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.1 SEK 907

$35.92 MX$627

161.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.14 SEK 387

$40.13 MX$700

0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 SEK 954

$79.7 MX$1,390

24.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 SEK 1,482

$86.5 MX$1,508

77.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SEK 8,049

$978 MX$17.1K

-14.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 6,222

$470 MX$8,206

37.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 SEK 13.3K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-16.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 SEK 10.4K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-10.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,281 SEK 41.3K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

8.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,076 SEK 29.7K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-53.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $835 in Kista 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Kista versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 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

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 $2,669 per month in Kista 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,780 in Kista and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 183% 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 $1,260, than in Kista at $1,780. 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 $1,260 versus $1,780 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.