Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Varberg

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,635 in Varberg, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Varberg
Learn more

Varberg Living Index

Jump to prices

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Varberg

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,635

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Varberg

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Varberg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,635 in Varberg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Varberg $1,635

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,623 in Varberg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Varberg $2,623

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,610 in Varberg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Varberg $3,610

Playa del Carmen is about 26% cheaper than Varberg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Varberg is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$204

$15.35 SEK 152

-28.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$808

$76.3 SEK 758

-43.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$220

$10.20 SEK 101

15.49%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.0

$3.83 SEK 38.04

-0.52%

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

$1.28 MX$23.90

$1.19 SEK 11.82

7.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.59

$1.02 SEK 10.13

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.0

$6.18 SEK 61.4

-48.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.0

$7.42 SEK 73.7

-33.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.22

$1.43 SEK 14.17

-1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.33

$2.96 SEK 29.43

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.42

$3.44 SEK 34.16

-58.72%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.03

$4.13 SEK 41.00

-38.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$135

$12.77 SEK 127

-43.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$143

$10.88 SEK 108

-29.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$237

$19.85 SEK 197

-36.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.9

$2.97 SEK 29.50

-6.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.50

$2.53 SEK 25.10

-45.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.55

$2.95 SEK 29.25

-13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.58

$4.21 SEK 41.80

-49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.13

$1.47 SEK 14.59

31.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.16

$1.49 SEK 14.75

26.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.37

$2.53 SEK 25.15

-54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$21.98

$0.97 SEK 9.65

21.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.1

$6.77 SEK 67.3

-36.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$185

$10.24 SEK 102

-2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.52

$2.07 SEK 20.54

-23.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$49.79

$1.18 SEK 11.71

126.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.31

$2.94 SEK 29.15

-81.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$496

$77.8 SEK 773

-65.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$92.6

$4.93 SEK 49.01

0.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.1

$2.41 SEK 23.89

38.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$99.8

$49.63 SEK 493

-89.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.92

$1.81 SEK 18.01

-20.44%

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

$20.7K MX$385.2K

$33.0K SEK 327.6K

-37.35%

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

$23.5K MX$437.4K

$33.6K SEK 333.5K

-30.13%

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

$84.8 MX$1,581

$141 SEK 1,400

-39.84%

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

$23.41 MX$436

$19.92 SEK 198

17.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$534

$29.69 SEK 295

-3.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,063

$40.37 SEK 401

41.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$539

$40.39 SEK 401

-28.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$95.8

$15.84 SEK 157

-67.55%

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

$207 MX$3,851

$149 SEK 1,477

38.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.2K

$3,455 SEK 34.3K

13.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$808

$70.9 SEK 704

-38.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$772

$40.23 SEK 400

3.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,383

$108 SEK 1,077

-31.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,664

$149 SEK 1,479

-40.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.3K

$798 SEK 7,926

22.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,099

$495 SEK 4,916

-23.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.8K

$1,221 SEK 12.1K

39.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.0K

$915 SEK 9,087

17.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.5K

$6,532 SEK 64.9K

-39.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$114.8K

$3,568 SEK 35.4K

72.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.7K

$3,103 SEK 30.8K

-76.33%

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Varberg: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Varberg

$495 30.3% 30% $114

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Varberg

$352 21.5% 38% $97

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Varberg

$254 15.5% 25.5% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Varberg

$191 11.7% 39.2% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Varberg

$166 10.1% 48.4% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Varberg

$72 4.4% 7% $4.7

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Varberg

$107 6.5% 111% $56

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $798 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 in Varberg are about 4.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $76 in Varberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $352 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇸🇪 Varberg

🕒 Local time

09:05 9:05 AM

15:05 3:05 PM

6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

27,602

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

100 SEK = 10.07 USD

100 SEK = 9.05 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.93 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.05 SEK (100 SEK = 9.05 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Varberg 8,640 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Varberg

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,453 in Varberg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varberg, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $798 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,635 in Varberg. That’s a gap of about 36%.

Public transport costs about 66% 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 $1,204, than in Varberg at $1,635. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varberg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,635 in Varberg. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.