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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,768 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,652 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,535 in Karlskrona, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 27% cheaper than Karlskrona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Karlskrona is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$13.32 SEK 125

-11.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$69.1 SEK 649

-39.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.22 SEK 86.6

15.40%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.98 SEK 37.40

-11.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.45 SEK 13.57

4.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$2.51 SEK 23.60

-61.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$7.21 SEK 67.8

-59.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$5.33 SEK 50.1

-16.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.60 SEK 14.98

-13.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.84 SEK 26.63

-33.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.84 SEK 36.04

-57.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$4.07 SEK 38.27

-38.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.49 SEK 108

-27.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.95 SEK 112

-30.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$15.94 SEK 150

-32.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.23 SEK 30.33

-19.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.43 SEK 22.84

-39.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.21 SEK 30.16

-40.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$4.64 SEK 43.60

-55.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.51 SEK 14.16

17.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.60 SEK 14.98

36.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.22 SEK 20.83

-53.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.45 SEK 13.57

-25.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$7.48 SEK 70.2

-45.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$13.48 SEK 127

-23.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.10 SEK 19.72

-18.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.77 SEK 16.66

45.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$3.03 SEK 28.43

-83.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$65.2 SEK 612

-59.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$14.57 SEK 137

-77.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.66 SEK 15.57

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$21.00 SEK 197

-84.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.87 SEK 17.60

-29.95%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$33.1K SEK 310.6K

-8.44%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$34.1K SEK 319.8K

-31.19%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$53.3 SEK 500

55.57%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$28.37 SEK 266

-21.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$36.87 SEK 346

-20.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$43.31 SEK 407

19.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$24.03 SEK 226

-23.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$17.05 SEK 160

-70.26%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$146 SEK 1,367

37.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$753 SEK 7,072

592.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$104 SEK 974

-64.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$20.86 SEK 196

90.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$85.2 SEK 800

-7.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$154 SEK 1,443

-43.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$716 SEK 6,723

35.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$690 SEK 6,478

-32.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,149 SEK 10.8K

42.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,002 SEK 9,410

21.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$3,141 SEK 29.5K

25.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,664 SEK 25.0K

143.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,640 SEK 24.8K

-74.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.7

142.98%

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 Karlskrona: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $716 in Karlskrona. 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 298% higher in Karlskrona, 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 $69.0 in Karlskrona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $360 – 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 Karlskrona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karlskrona is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,652 in Karlskrona. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $69.0 in Karlskrona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,768 in Karlskrona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Karlskrona at $1,768. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlskrona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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