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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,810 in Kista, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,845 in Kista, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,880 in Kista, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Kista is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$13.79 SEK 134

-13.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$77.9 SEK 755

-39.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$10.52 SEK 102

11.69%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$4.82 SEK 46.77

-14.52%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.79 SEK 27.05

-49.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$2.32 SEK 22.47

-60.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$8.13 SEK 78.9

-60.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$8.29 SEK 80.4

-14.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.79 SEK 17.31

-6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.93 SEK 28.43

-26.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$4.11 SEK 39.87

-56.93%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$5.05 SEK 48.92

-44.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.15 SEK 118

-24.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$12.58 SEK 122

-26.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$16.05 SEK 156

-21.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.79 SEK 27.09

5.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.58 SEK 25.05

-38.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.56 SEK 34.52

-37.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.29 SEK 41.63

-44.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.78 SEK 17.29

11.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.51 SEK 14.68

31.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.08 SEK 20.12

-40.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.43 SEK 13.84

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$7.53 SEK 73.0

-38.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$11.44 SEK 111

-8.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.00 SEK 19.42

-15.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.34 SEK 22.72

18.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$3.41 SEK 33.01

-82.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$79.5 SEK 770

-62.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$6.49 SEK 62.9

-19.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.87 SEK 18.16

95.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$59.5 SEK 577

-90.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.80 SEK 17.45

-14.44%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$30.2K SEK 292.8K

-24.52%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$34.0K SEK 329.4K

-24.04%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$107 SEK 1,038

-15.33%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$27.69 SEK 268

-9.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$39.99 SEK 388

-20.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$39.75 SEK 385

73.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$25.64 SEK 249

14.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$16.83 SEK 163

-71.12%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$150 SEK 1,456

50.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$4,803 SEK 46.6K

-12.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$84.9 SEK 823

-44.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$44.03 SEK 427

-1.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$99.6 SEK 965

-19.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$138 SEK 1,334

-33.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$765 SEK 7,414

41.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$560 SEK 5,425

-26.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,311 SEK 12.7K

50.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,173 SEK 11.4K

9.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$4,131 SEK 40.0K

-2.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$2,897 SEK 28.1K

131.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.42

234.80%

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 Kista: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $765 in Kista. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $78.0 in Kista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $368 – 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 Kista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kista costs about 39% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,715 in Kista. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,810 in Kista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 168% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Kista at $1,810. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kista it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,305 versus $1,810 in Kista. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Kista makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.