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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,841 in Kista, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,845 in Kista, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,849 in Kista, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than Kista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Kista is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$13.40 SEK 128

-12.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$73.7 SEK 706

-43.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$10.67 SEK 102

-2.44%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$4.52 SEK 43.33

-20.13%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$2.75 SEK 26.34

-46.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.50 SEK 23.96

-61.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$7.84 SEK 75.1

-62.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$7.42 SEK 71.2

-37.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.67 SEK 16.02

-14.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$2.87 SEK 27.48

-33.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$3.81 SEK 36.52

-58.79%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$4.16 SEK 39.90

-36.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$12.07 SEK 116

-30.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$11.74 SEK 113

-26.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$16.88 SEK 162

-34.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$3.10 SEK 29.72

-12.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$2.58 SEK 24.68

-41.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$3.02 SEK 28.92

-36.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$4.38 SEK 41.97

-50.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$1.56 SEK 14.94

19.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$1.79 SEK 17.18

24.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$2.64 SEK 25.29

-59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.51 SEK 14.47

-29.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$7.44 SEK 71.3

-44.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$9.21 SEK 88.3

11.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$1.96 SEK 18.81

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$1.90 SEK 18.25

33.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$3.30 SEK 31.63

-83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

$75.2 SEK 721

-65.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$6.29 SEK 60.3

-49.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$1.60 SEK 15.36

53.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$62.5 SEK 599

-94.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$1.90 SEK 18.19

-30.53%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$32.8K SEK 314.4K

-8.09%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$34.4K SEK 329.3K

-31.92%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$112 SEK 1,073

-27.37%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$28.99 SEK 278

-22.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$36.29 SEK 348

-17.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$40.93 SEK 392

25.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$25.26 SEK 242

-27.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$15.90 SEK 152

-67.55%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$144 SEK 1,381

40.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$4,120 SEK 39.5K

28.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$94.9 SEK 909

-62.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$40.22 SEK 385

0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$96.6 SEK 925

-18.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$152 SEK 1,457

-42.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$848 SEK 8,122

12.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$641 SEK 6,143

-25.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$1,417 SEK 13.6K

14.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$1,078 SEK 10.3K

13.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$3,939 SEK 37.8K

1.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$2,986 SEK 28.6K

116.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.53

152.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Kista: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $848 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.0 in Kista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $357 – 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 42% 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,761 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,841 in Kista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 186% 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 $1,294, than in Kista at $1,841. 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 $1,294 versus $1,841 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.