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 $1,793 per month in Kista vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,815 per month in Kista vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,837 per month in Kista vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kista costs about 39% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kista sits 34% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.70 SEK 127

$11.94 MX$209

14.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 SEK 688

$42.75 MX$748

73.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 SEK 98.5

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$4.62 SEK 43.01

$3.62 MX$63.4

27.62%

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

$2.74 SEK 25.47

$1.47 MX$25.69

86.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 22.97

$0.94 MX$16.51

162.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 SEK 73.5

$3.09 MX$54.1

155.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 SEK 68.0

$4.46 MX$78.0

63.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.60

$1.43 MX$24.94

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 SEK 25.51

$1.88 MX$32.97

45.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 SEK 35.01

$1.63 MX$28.50

130.67%

Eggs

$4.25 SEK 39.51

$2.64 MX$46.26

60.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.98 SEK 111

$8.21 MX$144

45.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.99 SEK 111

$8.29 MX$145

44.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.81 SEK 156

$11.10 MX$194

51.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 29.50

$2.65 MX$46.40

19.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 23.89

$1.50 MX$26.26

71.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 27.94

$1.99 MX$34.79

50.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 SEK 41.59

$2.08 MX$36.33

114.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 SEK 15.23

$1.79 MX$31.29

-8.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 16.70

$2.18 MX$38.09

-17.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.28

$1.08 MX$18.84

141.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 14.48

$1.04 MX$18.15

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 67.9

$3.97 MX$69.5

83.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 SEK 109

$10.20 MX$179

14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 SEK 17.72

$1.73 MX$30.22

9.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.36

$2.50 MX$43.71

-21.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 SEK 32.17

$0.52 MX$9.07

565.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 SEK 678

$26.97 MX$472

170.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 SEK 58.8

$3.14 MX$55.0

101.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 14.85

$2.40 MX$42.04

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 SEK 583

$3.09 MX$54.0

1928.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.46

$1.27 MX$22.28

56.69%

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

$32.0K SEK 297.6K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

3.63%

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

$34.9K SEK 324.2K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

49.51%

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

$113 SEK 1,048

$82.0 MX$1,435

37.36%

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

$28.32 SEK 263

$22.45 MX$393

26.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.33 SEK 338

$29.66 MX$519

22.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.09 SEK 373

$51.9 MX$908

-22.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 SEK 238

$18.67 MX$327

37.01%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SEK 145

$4.97 MX$87.0

213.68%

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

$144 SEK 1,341

$198 MX$3,462

-27.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,172 SEK 38.8K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-20.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 SEK 890

$36.34 MX$636

163.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.45 SEK 386

$40.05 MX$701

3.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 SEK 912

$79.9 MX$1,398

22.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,425

$88.9 MX$1,555

72.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 SEK 7,818

$963 MX$16.9K

-12.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 SEK 6,166

$465 MX$8,133

42.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 SEK 13.0K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-12.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 SEK 9,924

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-11.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,449 SEK 41.4K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

12.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,664 SEK 24.8K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-58.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $841 in Kista versus $963 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 $74.0 in Kista versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $251 – 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 39% 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 $2,689 per month in Kista and $1,930 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 $1,793 in Kista and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 170% 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 $1,287, than in Kista at $1,793. 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 $1,287 versus $1,793 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.