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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,767 in Karlstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,725 in Karlstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,683 in Karlstad, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Karlstad is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$15.54 SEK 145

-23.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$67.2 SEK 625

-36.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$10.96 SEK 102

-3.38%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.81 SEK 44.77

-24.74%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.57 SEK 23.87

-42.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.12 SEK 19.73

-55.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$8.27 SEK 76.9

-62.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$8.20 SEK 76.3

-45.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.41 SEK 13.11

1.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.85 SEK 26.52

-34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.79 SEK 35.23

-56.99%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.86 SEK 45.17

-45.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.00 SEK 112

-31.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$13.92 SEK 129

-40.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$17.02 SEK 158

-34.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.09 SEK 28.73

-14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.55 SEK 23.75

-41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.26 SEK 30.29

-38.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.99 SEK 46.37

-58.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.58 SEK 14.73

13.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.74 SEK 16.16

25.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.62 SEK 24.37

-58.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.27 SEK 11.84

-18.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.25 SEK 67.4

-45.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.87 SEK 101

-6.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.76 SEK 16.33

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.71 SEK 15.94

46.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.20 SEK 29.73

-83.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$85.0 SEK 791

-68.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$5.69 SEK 52.9

-44.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.36 SEK 12.65

76.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$64.2 SEK 597

-95.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.01 SEK 18.73

-36.82%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.0K SEK 297.4K

-3.42%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.0K SEK 316.0K

-31.39%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$108 SEK 1,004

-24.06%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$29.61 SEK 275

-24.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$42.92 SEK 399

-30.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$46.25 SEK 430

12.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$17.56 SEK 163

6.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$14.65 SEK 136

-66.08%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$150 SEK 1,393

32.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,178 SEK 29.6K

65.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$86.7 SEK 806

-58.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$42.09 SEK 391

-4.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$80.7 SEK 750

-1.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$147 SEK 1,368

-39.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,046 SEK 9,726

-7.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$572 SEK 5,321

-18.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,240 SEK 11.5K

28.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$882 SEK 8,198

37.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$3,375 SEK 31.4K

-78.66%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,046 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 369% 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 $67.0 in Karlstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $371 – 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,651 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 $67.0 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,767 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 $1,287, than in Karlstad at $1,767. 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.