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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,859 in Kristianstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,842 in Kristianstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,826 in Kristianstad.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 32% less than in Kristianstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Kristianstad is 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$15.05 SEK 143

-22.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$73.7 SEK 700

-43.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.45 SEK 99.3

0.57%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.76 SEK 45.24

-24.58%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.72 SEK 25.88

-44.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.49 SEK 23.66

-63.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$7.64 SEK 72.6

-61.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.43 SEK 70.6

-40.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.24 SEK 21.28

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.83 SEK 26.90

-33.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.91 SEK 37.14

-60.10%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$4.07 SEK 38.69

-35.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.23 SEK 116

-31.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$11.65 SEK 111

-28.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$17.45 SEK 166

-37.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.11 SEK 29.52

-12.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.69 SEK 25.54

-43.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.98 SEK 28.31

-37.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.39 SEK 41.71

-50.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.63 SEK 15.52

14.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.84 SEK 17.48

21.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.50 SEK 23.71

-57.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.50 SEK 14.27

-27.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$7.19 SEK 68.3

-41.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$11.36 SEK 108

-8.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.99 SEK 18.87

-16.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.98 SEK 18.83

31.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.41 SEK 32.37

-84.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$74.4 SEK 706

-64.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$6.22 SEK 59.1

-50.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.59 SEK 15.13

50.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$62.2 SEK 591

-94.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.95 SEK 18.49

-32.82%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$32.0K SEK 304.4K

-6.97%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.5K SEK 327.7K

-32.40%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$114 SEK 1,078

-28.39%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$28.27 SEK 269

-20.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$36.91 SEK 351

-18.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$40.24 SEK 382

31.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$25.39 SEK 241

-27.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$16.00 SEK 152

-69.25%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$150 SEK 1,421

34.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,214 SEK 40.0K

22.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$94.0 SEK 893

-61.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$40.16 SEK 382

-0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$96.7 SEK 919

-17.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$153 SEK 1,458

-43.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$795 SEK 7,552

23.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$644 SEK 6,117

-26.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,391 SEK 13.2K

18.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,079 SEK 10.3K

11.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$4,188 SEK 39.8K

-5.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$2,809 SEK 26.7K

135.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,582 SEK 24.5K

-73.79%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kristianstad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $795 in Kristianstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristianstad pays 282% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $74.0 in Kristianstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $369 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 282% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $795 in Kristianstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,859 in Kristianstad – a 47% 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 184% less than in Kristianstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,859 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 47% less than in Kristianstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.