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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,788 in Varnamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $2,849 in Varnamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $3,910 in Varnamo.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 7% less than in Varnamo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Varnamo 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$13.63 SEK 134

-12.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$94.6 SEK 932

-45.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$12.37 SEK 122

-7.76%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$4.93 SEK 48.62

-19.07%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.76 SEK 27.22

-39.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$2.23 SEK 21.94

-40.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$8.28 SEK 81.6

-58.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$7.34 SEK 72.4

-19.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.71 SEK 16.84

9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.73 SEK 26.91

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$3.92 SEK 38.63

-44.90%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$4.70 SEK 46.33

-38.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$13.11 SEK 129

-1.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$12.30 SEK 121

-18.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$17.53 SEK 173

-9.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.13 SEK 30.89

5.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$3.00 SEK 29.57

-33.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.89 SEK 28.44

-23.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$4.68 SEK 46.08

-49.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.79 SEK 17.66

14.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.49 SEK 14.70

27.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$2.74 SEK 27.00

-41.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.60 SEK 15.81

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$8.02 SEK 79.0

-31.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$11.67 SEK 115

51.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$2.03 SEK 19.96

1.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.79 SEK 27.45

67.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$3.41 SEK 33.57

-90.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$80.1 SEK 789

-74.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$5.14 SEK 50.6

-59.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.16 SEK 11.45

-51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$43.03 SEK 424

-86.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.80 SEK 17.72

-10.56%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$34.1K SEK 336.2K

-33.05%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$34.4K SEK 338.5K

-22.12%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$81.5 SEK 803

-19.99%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$32.13 SEK 317

-6.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$42.81 SEK 422

-13.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$39.50 SEK 389

51.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$26.42 SEK 260

0.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$15.50 SEK 153

-54.58%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$165 SEK 1,628

181.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$5,125 SEK 50.5K

159.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$83.1 SEK 819

-8.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$60.5 SEK 596

-7.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$106 SEK 1,043

5.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$129 SEK 1,271

-6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$844 SEK 8,319

30.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$621 SEK 6,118

16.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,410 SEK 13.9K

79.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,038 SEK 10.2K

24.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$4,235 SEK 41.7K

-5.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$2,859 SEK 28.2K

-26.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$2,104 SEK 20.7K

-50.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.03

272.94%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $844 in Varnamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varnamo pays 103% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $95.0 in Varnamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $379 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 8% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,788 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 103% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $844 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 285% less than in Varnamo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $165 in Varnamo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,788 in Varnamo, a $3,000 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 8% less than in Varnamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.