Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kalmar Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kalmar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,862 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $2,801 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $3,740 in Kalmar, rent included.

Mexico City is about 21% cheaper than Kalmar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Kalmar sit above the global median – Mexico City by 10%, Kalmar by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$16.05 SEK 150

-17.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$74.3 SEK 693

-27.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$10.56 SEK 98.6

-10.80%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$4.56 SEK 42.55

-22.15%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$2.89 SEK 26.97

-43.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$2.66 SEK 24.85

-58.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$9.71 SEK 90.6

-67.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$7.43 SEK 69.3

-37.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.48 SEK 13.77

14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$2.39 SEK 22.28

13.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.58 SEK 24.05

-25.97%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$4.88 SEK 45.52

-47.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$10.36 SEK 96.7

-3.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$11.73 SEK 109

-31.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$16.15 SEK 151

-28.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.62 SEK 24.42

13.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$2.79 SEK 26.03

-35.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$3.12 SEK 29.16

-35.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$3.70 SEK 34.51

-45.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.43 SEK 13.33

48.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.34 SEK 21.87

-2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$2.06 SEK 19.19

-32.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.66 SEK 15.44

-31.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$7.30 SEK 68.1

-41.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$9.90 SEK 92.4

57.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$2.11 SEK 19.71

-16.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.66 SEK 15.48

116.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$2.83 SEK 26.39

-86.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$86.2 SEK 804

-77.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$7.25 SEK 67.6

-80.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.56 SEK 14.53

-82.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$52.6 SEK 491

-89.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.95 SEK 18.19

-33.33%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$27.5K SEK 256.4K

-31.99%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$28.1K SEK 262.2K

-17.70%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$118 SEK 1,104

-65.47%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$28.08 SEK 262

-4.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$30.58 SEK 285

-2.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$29.43 SEK 275

76.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$15.57 SEK 145

72.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$14.22 SEK 133

-55.70%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$145 SEK 1,357

199.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$4,155 SEK 38.8K

150.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$63.8 SEK 595

-11.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$20.69 SEK 193

114.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$60.0 SEK 560

71.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$77.4 SEK 723

36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$939 SEK 8,760

8.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$795 SEK 7,421

-20.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

53.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$1,183 SEK 11.0K

5.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$4,304 SEK 40.2K

-9.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$2,931 SEK 27.4K

-29.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$3,061 SEK 28.6K

-63.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.66

143.35%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $939 in Kalmar. 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 175% higher in Kalmar, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $74.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $338 – making Mexico City 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

Mexico City vs Kalmar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City, $1,862 in Kalmar – roughly 27% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $2,793 in Kalmar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $145 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Kalmar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Kalmar at $1,862. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalmar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,467 in Mexico City to $1,862 in Kalmar. 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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kalmar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.