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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,862 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,801 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,740 in Kalmar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than Kalmar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Kalmar is 39% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$16.05 SEK 150

-26.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$74.3 SEK 693

-43.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.56 SEK 98.6

0.76%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.56 SEK 42.55

-22.81%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.89 SEK 26.97

-47.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.66 SEK 24.85

-63.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$9.71 SEK 90.6

-69.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$7.43 SEK 69.3

-40.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.48 SEK 13.77

-6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.39 SEK 22.28

-20.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.58 SEK 24.05

-36.43%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.88 SEK 45.52

-48.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.36 SEK 96.7

-19.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.73 SEK 109

-28.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$16.15 SEK 151

-33.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.62 SEK 24.42

-0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.79 SEK 26.03

-47.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.12 SEK 29.16

-39.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.70 SEK 34.51

-43.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.43 SEK 13.33

24.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.34 SEK 21.87

-6.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.06 SEK 19.19

-49.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.66 SEK 15.44

-34.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$7.30 SEK 68.1

-44.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.90 SEK 92.4

4.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.11 SEK 19.71

-18.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.66 SEK 15.48

55.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.83 SEK 26.39

-81.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$86.2 SEK 804

-69.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$7.25 SEK 67.6

-55.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.56 SEK 14.53

59.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$52.6 SEK 491

-93.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.95 SEK 18.19

-32.82%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$27.5K SEK 256.4K

10.21%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$28.1K SEK 262.2K

-16.64%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$118 SEK 1,104

-29.97%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$28.08 SEK 262

-20.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$30.58 SEK 285

-4.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$29.43 SEK 275

75.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.57 SEK 145

17.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$14.22 SEK 133

-64.35%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$145 SEK 1,357

38.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,155 SEK 38.8K

25.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$63.8 SEK 595

-42.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$20.69 SEK 193

92.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$60.0 SEK 560

30.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$77.4 SEK 723

12.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$939 SEK 8,760

3.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$795 SEK 7,421

-41.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,183 SEK 11.0K

3.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$4,304 SEK 40.2K

-8.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$2,931 SEK 27.4K

121.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,061 SEK 28.6K

-78.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.66

145.06%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen 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 361% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $338 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,862 in Kalmar – roughly 44% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen 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 36% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Kalmar at $1,862. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalmar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen. 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.