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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,769 in Kristianstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,784 in Kristianstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,799 in Kristianstad.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 28% less than in Kristianstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Kristianstad is 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$14.42 SEK 142

-19.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$77.5 SEK 764

-39.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$12.65 SEK 125

-6.09%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.70 SEK 46.36

-15.32%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.72 SEK 26.83

-47.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.29 SEK 22.55

-64.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$7.34 SEK 72.4

-56.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.27 SEK 71.6

-6.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.21 SEK 21.80

-23.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.62 SEK 25.79

-16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$4.17 SEK 41.06

-58.99%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.48 SEK 44.14

-38.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.58 SEK 124

-23.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$13.59 SEK 134

-33.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$17.26 SEK 170

-25.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.09 SEK 30.42

-6.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.68 SEK 26.45

-44.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.47 SEK 34.18

-38.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.33 SEK 42.67

-47.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.63 SEK 16.02

21.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.44 SEK 14.22

38.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.61 SEK 25.76

-52.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.49 SEK 14.70

-19.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$8.33 SEK 82.1

-45.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.93 SEK 108

-5.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.85 SEK 18.23

-12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.21 SEK 21.74

30.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$3.50 SEK 34.49

-82.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$70.7 SEK 697

-59.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.18 SEK 51.0

4.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.61 SEK 15.88

131.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$55.4 SEK 546

-89.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.67 SEK 16.41

-7.78%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.0K SEK 354.4K

-37.31%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$31.6K SEK 311.6K

-17.59%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$107 SEK 1,050

-14.20%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$27.25 SEK 269

-7.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$39.63 SEK 391

-21.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$39.46 SEK 389

70.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$28.30 SEK 279

2.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$17.63 SEK 174

-72.43%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$181 SEK 1,788

23.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,870 SEK 48.0K

-13.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$83.4 SEK 822

-43.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$44.38 SEK 437

-0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$87.6 SEK 863

-8.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$133 SEK 1,306

-30.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$781 SEK 7,695

36.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$603 SEK 5,945

-35.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,376 SEK 13.6K

56.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,035 SEK 10.2K

22.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$3,651 SEK 36.0K

9.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,602 SEK 25.6K

149.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,597 SEK 25.6K

-70.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.45

231.88%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kristianstad: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $781 in Kristianstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristianstad pays 243% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $78.0 in Kristianstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $379 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Kristianstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 243% lower in Kristianstad. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $781 in Kristianstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,769 in Kristianstad – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 145% less than in Kristianstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,769 in Kristianstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kristianstad. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kristianstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kristianstad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Kristianstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.