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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,836 in Kristianstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,794 in Kristianstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,752 in Kristianstad.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 31% less than in Kristianstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Kristianstad is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$14.50 SEK 136

-18.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$72.5 SEK 680

-40.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$10.69 SEK 100

-0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.76 SEK 44.65

-27.52%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.80 SEK 26.29

-46.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.49 SEK 23.38

-61.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$7.92 SEK 74.3

-61.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$7.33 SEK 68.8

-37.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.16 SEK 20.30

-36.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.89 SEK 27.11

-35.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.92 SEK 36.73

-58.93%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$4.20 SEK 39.36

-38.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.23 SEK 115

-32.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$11.74 SEK 110

-28.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$17.02 SEK 160

-37.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.10 SEK 29.04

-15.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.62 SEK 24.53

-43.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.07 SEK 28.81

-37.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.44 SEK 41.68

-52.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.62 SEK 15.22

14.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.83 SEK 17.20

23.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.53 SEK 23.75

-58.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.56 SEK 14.67

-30.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$7.51 SEK 70.4

-44.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$10.19 SEK 95.6

1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.93 SEK 18.06

-10.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.96 SEK 18.37

33.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$3.35 SEK 31.39

-83.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$73.2 SEK 686

-63.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$6.14 SEK 57.6

-49.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.57 SEK 14.76

59.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$62.4 SEK 585

-94.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.95 SEK 18.32

-34.87%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$32.3K SEK 302.9K

-5.94%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.6K SEK 315.2K

-29.87%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$113 SEK 1,064

-26.81%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$28.45 SEK 267

-20.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$36.32 SEK 341

-18.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$40.93 SEK 384

24.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$25.47 SEK 239

-28.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$15.96 SEK 150

-69.11%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$147 SEK 1,376

34.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,211 SEK 39.5K

25.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$94.8 SEK 890

-61.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$40.96 SEK 384

-2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$97.6 SEK 916

-18.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$153 SEK 1,438

-41.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$807 SEK 7,567

18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$664 SEK 6,227

-28.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,371 SEK 12.9K

20.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,100 SEK 10.3K

11.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$4,120 SEK 38.6K

-4.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$2,831 SEK 26.6K

128.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$2,690 SEK 25.2K

-75.20%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Kristianstad: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $807 in Kristianstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristianstad pays 303% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $73.0 in Kristianstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $366 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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kristianstad earns 303% less. 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $807 in Kristianstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,836 in Kristianstad – a 45% 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 172% less than in Kristianstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,836 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 45% less than in Kristianstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.