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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,779 in Karlstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,685 in Karlstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,592 in Karlstad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 29% cheaper than Karlstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Karlstad is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$15.58 SEK 148

-24.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$68.9 SEK 655

-39.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.97 SEK 104

-4.19%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.83 SEK 45.88

-25.67%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.58 SEK 24.54

-41.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.21 SEK 20.98

-58.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$8.25 SEK 78.4

-64.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$8.26 SEK 78.5

-46.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.39 SEK 13.17

0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.84 SEK 27.01

-33.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.87 SEK 36.72

-59.69%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$4.78 SEK 45.44

-45.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.16 SEK 116

-31.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$14.28 SEK 136

-41.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$16.93 SEK 161

-35.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.98 SEK 28.28

-9.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.55 SEK 24.21

-40.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.26 SEK 30.95

-42.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$5.08 SEK 48.24

-56.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.65 SEK 15.68

12.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.78 SEK 16.87

25.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.69 SEK 25.58

-60.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.30 SEK 12.36

-16.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$7.30 SEK 69.4

-42.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$10.32 SEK 98.1

1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.75 SEK 16.62

-5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.70 SEK 16.16

53.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.28 SEK 31.18

-83.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$83.6 SEK 794

-68.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$5.82 SEK 55.3

-47.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.34 SEK 12.75

79.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$65.1 SEK 619

-95.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.94 SEK 18.45

-32.47%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$33.1K SEK 314.9K

-10.07%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.6K SEK 328.2K

-32.50%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$104 SEK 992

-22.16%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$29.68 SEK 282

-23.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$42.68 SEK 406

-29.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$46.46 SEK 441

13.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$17.05 SEK 162

7.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$14.44 SEK 137

-65.93%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$150 SEK 1,422

34.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,150 SEK 29.9K

64.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$88.1 SEK 837

-59.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$41.71 SEK 396

-3.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$83.2 SEK 790

-4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$147 SEK 1,401

-41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,056 SEK 10.0K

-7.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$589 SEK 5,599

-20.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,245 SEK 11.8K

32.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$906 SEK 8,604

32.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$3,148 SEK 29.9K

-78.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.8

137.92%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,056 in Karlstad. 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 365% higher in Karlstad, 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 Karlstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $372 – 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 Karlstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karlstad is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,668 in Karlstad. 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 Karlstad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,779 in Karlstad. 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 $1,260, than in Karlstad at $1,779. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlstad 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, Karlstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.