Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Varberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Varberg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,671 in Varberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,673 in Varberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,675 in Varberg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 22% cheaper than Varberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Varberg is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$15.62 SEK 151

-23.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$79.9 SEK 774

-40.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$10.59 SEK 103

10.95%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.90 SEK 37.85

5.64%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.23 SEK 11.90

13.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.12 SEK 10.81

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$6.35 SEK 61.6

-49.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.90 SEK 76.6

-10.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.55 SEK 15.04

8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.07 SEK 29.80

-29.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.52 SEK 34.15

-49.72%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$4.33 SEK 41.99

-34.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.25 SEK 128

-30.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$11.64 SEK 113

-20.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$20.42 SEK 198

-38.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.19 SEK 30.94

-7.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.60 SEK 25.19

-39.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.15 SEK 30.58

-29.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.37 SEK 42.33

-46.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.55 SEK 15.02

28.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.62 SEK 15.66

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.65 SEK 25.72

-53.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.02 SEK 9.91

18.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$7.11 SEK 68.9

-35.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$10.47 SEK 102

0.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.10 SEK 20.35

-19.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.27 SEK 12.29

118.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$2.97 SEK 28.81

-79.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$81.6 SEK 791

-63.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$5.31 SEK 51.5

-1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.53 SEK 24.50

44.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$51.5 SEK 499

-88.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.81 SEK 17.53

-14.92%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$34.3K SEK 332.8K

-33.58%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$35.2K SEK 340.8K

-26.59%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$146 SEK 1,411

-37.72%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$20.72 SEK 201

21.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$30.78 SEK 298

3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$41.70 SEK 404

64.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$41.46 SEK 402

-29.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$16.46 SEK 160

-70.47%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$159 SEK 1,544

41.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$3,590 SEK 34.8K

16.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$74.0 SEK 718

-36.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$41.00 SEK 397

5.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$113 SEK 1,093

-28.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$159 SEK 1,544

-42.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$844 SEK 8,185

28.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$529 SEK 5,130

-22.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,244 SEK 12.1K

58.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$950 SEK 9,211

34.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$6,747 SEK 65.4K

-40.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$3,577 SEK 34.7K

87.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$3,274 SEK 31.7K

-76.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.9

502.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Varberg: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $844 in Varberg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 323% higher in Varberg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $80.0 in Varberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $368 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Varberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varberg is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,507 in Varberg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,671 in Varberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 175% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Varberg at $1,671. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varberg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Varberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.