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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,739 in Karlstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,699 in Karlstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,658 in Karlstad, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Karlstad is 29% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$15.95 SEK 150

-25.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$738

$68.7 SEK 646

-37.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$11.17 SEK 105

-4.66%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.3

$4.96 SEK 46.64

-30.44%

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

$1.50 MX$25.88

$2.70 SEK 25.40

-44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.33

$2.20 SEK 20.70

-56.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.1

$8.52 SEK 80.0

-64.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.3

$8.31 SEK 78.1

-44.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.68

$1.44 SEK 13.49

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.80

$2.89 SEK 27.16

-35.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.73

$3.92 SEK 36.84

-58.93%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.64

$4.76 SEK 44.68

-45.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.33 SEK 116

-33.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$14.25 SEK 134

-41.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$184

$17.02 SEK 160

-37.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.25

$2.99 SEK 28.09

-12.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.61

$2.58 SEK 24.27

-42.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.04

$3.23 SEK 30.36

-40.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.91

$5.08 SEK 47.69

-58.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.97

$1.58 SEK 14.85

17.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.92

$1.75 SEK 16.43

29.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.29

$2.60 SEK 24.47

-59.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.72

$1.26 SEK 11.88

-13.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.4

$7.29 SEK 68.5

-43.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$179

$10.69 SEK 100

-2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.68

$1.74 SEK 16.35

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.98

$1.69 SEK 15.87

54.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.32

$3.20 SEK 30.11

-83.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$464

$85.3 SEK 801

-68.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.8

$5.74 SEK 54.0

-45.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.21

$1.34 SEK 12.64

87.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.2

$64.6 SEK 606

-95.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.95

$1.99 SEK 18.68

-36.18%

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

$30.4K MX$522.8K

$32.0K SEK 300.5K

-5.02%

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

$23.6K MX$405.6K

$34.4K SEK 323.0K

-31.46%

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

$83.0 MX$1,429

$104 SEK 981

-20.48%

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

$22.71 MX$391

$29.36 SEK 276

-22.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$507

$43.62 SEK 410

-32.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$878

$46.21 SEK 434

10.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$316

$17.25 SEK 162

6.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.8

$14.26 SEK 134

-65.43%

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

$197 MX$3,396

$146 SEK 1,376

34.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.9K

$3,179 SEK 29.9K

66.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$635

$86.4 SEK 812

-57.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$687

$41.41 SEK 389

-3.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,377

$82.6 SEK 776

-3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,540

$148 SEK 1,388

-39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.5K

$1,065 SEK 10.0K

-10.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,212

$572 SEK 5,373

-16.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,212 SEK 11.4K

35.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.1K

$907 SEK 8,525

34.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$111.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.5K

$3,261 SEK 30.6K

-79.55%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,065 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 389% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.0 in Karlstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $373 – 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 37%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,609 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 $43.00 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,739 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 $1,271, than in Karlstad at $1,739. 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.