Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Varnamo Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Varnamo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,803 in Varnamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $2,833 in Varnamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $3,863 in Varnamo.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 18% less than in Varnamo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Varnamo 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$12.77 SEK 121

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$88.7 SEK 843

-39.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$11.98 SEK 114

-22.12%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$4.93 SEK 46.85

-24.95%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$2.87 SEK 27.24

-44.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$2.13 SEK 20.21

-47.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$8.03 SEK 76.3

-60.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$7.58 SEK 72.0

-36.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.60 SEK 15.25

3.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$2.16 SEK 20.55

25.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$3.06 SEK 29.04

-37.58%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$4.62 SEK 43.84

-43.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$12.84 SEK 122

-23.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$11.69 SEK 111

-27.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$17.16 SEK 163

-30.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.21 SEK 30.47

-8.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.87 SEK 27.22

-39.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.89 SEK 27.45

-29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$4.45 SEK 42.23

-53.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.74 SEK 16.49

23.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.59 SEK 15.06

42.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$2.55 SEK 24.27

-45.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.24 SEK 11.82

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$7.84 SEK 74.5

-46.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$11.27 SEK 107

55.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.03 SEK 19.29

-15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.23 SEK 21.21

62.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$3.30 SEK 31.39

-89.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$73.4 SEK 697

-73.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$5.53 SEK 52.5

-75.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$2.53 SEK 24.08

-88.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$63.9 SEK 607

-91.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.97 SEK 18.69

-30.96%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$32.3K SEK 306.9K

-40.86%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$34.2K SEK 325.1K

-31.02%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$119 SEK 1,132

-66.00%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$29.16 SEK 277

-6.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$40.96 SEK 389

-25.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$41.18 SEK 391

26.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$25.42 SEK 242

4.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$18.14 SEK 172

-65.88%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$176 SEK 1,674

141.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$4,148 SEK 39.4K

158.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$81.4 SEK 774

-28.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$60.8 SEK 577

-26.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$104 SEK 991

-0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$128 SEK 1,217

-15.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$852 SEK 8,094

19.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$665 SEK 6,320

-6.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$1,387 SEK 13.2K

52.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$1,098 SEK 10.4K

11.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$4,181 SEK 39.7K

-9.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$2,906 SEK 27.6K

-27.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$2,092 SEK 19.9K

-49.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.8

136.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $852 in Varnamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varnamo pays 99% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $89.0 in Varnamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $355 per month, with Mexico City 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

Mexico City vs Varnamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Varnamo differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,803 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 99% lower in Varnamo. 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $852 in Varnamo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 280% less than in Varnamo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $176 in Varnamo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,803 in Varnamo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Varnamo. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Varnamo 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Varnamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.