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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,639 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,583 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,528 in Karlskrona, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 23% cheaper than Karlskrona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Karlskrona is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$13.36 SEK 132

-13.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$67.3 SEK 663

-29.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$9.46 SEK 93.2

25.58%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.09 SEK 40.27

-2.69%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.35 SEK 13.29

5.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.28 SEK 22.49

-64.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$7.32 SEK 72.2

-56.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.14 SEK 50.7

32.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.48 SEK 14.55

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.71 SEK 26.75

-18.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.74 SEK 36.84

-54.28%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.61 SEK 45.44

-40.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.87 SEK 107

-11.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$13.28 SEK 131

-32.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$17.32 SEK 171

-26.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.15 SEK 30.99

-8.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.37 SEK 23.33

-36.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.95 SEK 29.10

-27.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.55 SEK 44.87

-50.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.51 SEK 14.89

31.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.51 SEK 14.91

31.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.15 SEK 21.19

-42.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.47 SEK 14.51

-18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$7.15 SEK 70.5

-36.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$12.79 SEK 126

-18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.97 SEK 19.43

-17.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.76 SEK 17.30

63.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$3.03 SEK 29.91

-80.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$73.5 SEK 725

-60.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$13.58 SEK 134

-60.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.00 SEK 19.76

86.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$82.2 SEK 810

-92.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.71 SEK 16.84

-9.94%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$33.2K SEK 327.0K

-32.05%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$33.4K SEK 329.3K

-22.02%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$52.6 SEK 518

73.69%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$28.34 SEK 279

-11.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$37.87 SEK 373

-17.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$42.28 SEK 417

58.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$24.72 SEK 244

17.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$16.62 SEK 164

-70.76%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$164 SEK 1,618

36.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$98.9 SEK 975

-52.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$20.68 SEK 204

114.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$81.8 SEK 806

-2.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$178 SEK 1,756

-48.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$686 SEK 6,762

54.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$597 SEK 5,879

-34.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,140 SEK 11.2K

88.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$963 SEK 9,494

32.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,944 SEK 29.0K

35.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,555 SEK 25.2K

154.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,546 SEK 25.1K

-70.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.22

171.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Karlskrona: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $686 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 236% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $67.0 in Karlskrona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $364 – 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 30%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,459 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $67.0 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,639 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 $1,266, than in Karlskrona at $1,639. 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.