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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,841 in Varnamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $2,819 in Varnamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $3,796 in Varnamo.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 21% less than in Varnamo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Varnamo 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$12.64 SEK 119

2.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$88.6 SEK 831

-40.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$11.82 SEK 111

-20.22%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$4.89 SEK 45.83

-26.99%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$2.90 SEK 27.24

-44.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$2.14 SEK 20.08

-46.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$8.11 SEK 76.1

-61.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$7.21 SEK 67.6

-32.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.61 SEK 15.06

5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.21 SEK 20.77

19.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.96 SEK 27.79

-35.81%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$4.44 SEK 41.61

-42.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$13.09 SEK 123

-22.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$11.54 SEK 108

-28.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$17.41 SEK 163

-33.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.17 SEK 29.70

-4.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.89 SEK 27.10

-40.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.82 SEK 26.47

-27.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$4.31 SEK 40.44

-52.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.67 SEK 15.71

23.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.58 SEK 14.86

37.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$2.64 SEK 24.78

-46.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.28 SEK 12.02

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$7.86 SEK 73.7

-45.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$11.90 SEK 112

29.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.94 SEK 18.22

-13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.22 SEK 20.81

66.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$3.29 SEK 30.82

-88.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$73.2 SEK 687

-73.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$5.66 SEK 53.1

-75.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$2.57 SEK 24.09

-89.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$62.9 SEK 590

-91.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.95 SEK 18.25

-34.36%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$33.2K SEK 311.5K

-42.85%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$34.1K SEK 319.6K

-31.14%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$122 SEK 1,143

-66.32%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$28.28 SEK 265

-4.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$41.20 SEK 387

-27.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$40.64 SEK 381

28.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$25.11 SEK 236

4.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$17.74 SEK 166

-65.16%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$174 SEK 1,635

145.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,125 SEK 38.7K

159.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$78.6 SEK 737

-27.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$60.7 SEK 569

-26.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$104 SEK 977

0.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$131 SEK 1,225

-18.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$852 SEK 7,988

16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$645 SEK 6,047

-3.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,375 SEK 12.9K

54.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$1,070 SEK 10.0K

17.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$4,312 SEK 40.4K

-9.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$3,016 SEK 28.3K

-30.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$2,115 SEK 19.8K

-47.65%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $852 in Varnamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varnamo pays 91% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $89.0 in Varnamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 27% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,841 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Varnamo earns 91% 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: $995 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 284% less than in Varnamo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $174 in Varnamo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,841 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 27% less than in Varnamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.