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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,819 in Kiruna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,037 in Kiruna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,255 in Kiruna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 28% cheaper than Kiruna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Kiruna is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kiruna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$14.14 SEK 137
-15.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$804
$131 SEK 1,272
-63.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$199
$9.89 SEK 95.8
18.81%
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.0
$4.75 SEK 46.03
-13.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.74
$2.69 SEK 26.06
-47.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.48
$2.21 SEK 21.44
-58.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.4
$10.15 SEK 98.4
-68.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
$6.74 SEK 65.4
4.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kiruna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.44
$1.86 SEK 17.99
-9.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.48
$2.92 SEK 28.31
-26.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.10
$4.21 SEK 40.77
-57.96%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.76
$4.15 SEK 40.27
-32.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$13.59 SEK 132
-32.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$12.27 SEK 119
-24.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$214
$16.35 SEK 158
-22.69%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$3.51 SEK 34.03
-15.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.79
$2.67 SEK 25.88
-40.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.70
$3.53 SEK 34.18
-37.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.09
$4.31 SEK 41.78
-45.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.81
$1.51 SEK 14.61
31.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.58
$1.53 SEK 14.85
29.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.04
$2.06 SEK 19.99
-39.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.55
$1.47 SEK 14.22
-17.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.1
$7.36 SEK 71.4
-37.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$178
$11.74 SEK 114
-10.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.70
$2.11 SEK 20.50
-19.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.06
$2.34 SEK 22.71
18.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kiruna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.22
$3.36 SEK 32.57
-82.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$504
$83.3 SEK 808
-64.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$88.8
$5.76 SEK 55.8
-9.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$61.9
$1.52 SEK 14.73
140.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.1
$66.8 SEK 647
-91.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.09
$2.19 SEK 21.21
-29.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$386.8K
$36.4K SEK 352.5K
-37.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$437.9K
$34.6K SEK 335.7K
-25.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kiruna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,538
$119 SEK 1,156
-23.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$427
$23.66 SEK 229
6.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$40.25 SEK 390
-21.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kiruna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,167
$39.39 SEK 382
74.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$498
$27.03 SEK 262
8.66%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.5
$16.49 SEK 160
-70.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kiruna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,828
$167 SEK 1,616
35.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.1K
$5,598 SEK 54.3K
-25.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kiruna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$804
$88.3 SEK 856
-46.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$737
$40.00 SEK 388
8.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,361
$95.1 SEK 922
-15.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,550
$159 SEK 1,537
-42.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kiruna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
$842 SEK 8,165
28.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,933
$625 SEK 6,062
-34.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
$1,406 SEK 13.6K
40.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.7K
$1,124 SEK 10.9K
14.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.6K
$3,980 SEK 38.6K
1.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.7K
$2,692 SEK 26.1K
149.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kiruna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
$3,394 SEK 32.9K
-77.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4
186.25%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kiruna: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $842 in Kiruna. 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 339% higher in Kiruna, 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 $131 in Kiruna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $374 – 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 Kiruna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Kiruna compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $1,819 in Kiruna – roughly 39% apart. Kiruna costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Kiruna?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,728 in Kiruna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Kiruna?
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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 35% more in Kiruna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $131 in Kiruna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Kiruna at $1,819. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kiruna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Kiruna?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $1,819 in Kiruna. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Kiruna safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Kiruna?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kiruna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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