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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,810 in Varberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,840 in Varberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,870 in Varberg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than Varberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Varberg is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$13.96 SEK 132

-14.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$84.2 SEK 799

-49.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$9.95 SEK 94.4

7.04%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$4.23 SEK 40.12

-18.44%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$0.92 SEK 8.74

63.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.91 SEK 8.68

4.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$7.79 SEK 73.8

-61.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$8.08 SEK 76.7

-42.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.52 SEK 14.40

-9.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.12 SEK 29.59

-40.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$3.51 SEK 33.27

-54.13%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$4.41 SEK 41.83

-41.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$12.15 SEK 115

-32.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$11.51 SEK 109

-27.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$20.97 SEK 199

-49.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$3.39 SEK 32.10

-22.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$2.90 SEK 27.48

-48.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$3.29 SEK 31.23

-41.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$4.98 SEK 47.19

-58.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$1.55 SEK 14.74

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.89 SEK 17.96

19.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$2.49 SEK 23.64

-57.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$1.18 SEK 11.22

-7.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$7.35 SEK 69.7

-43.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$10.61 SEK 101

-2.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.07 SEK 19.62

-16.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$1.26 SEK 11.92

107.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$2.93 SEK 27.77

-81.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$74.8 SEK 709

-63.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$5.24 SEK 49.69

-40.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$2.65 SEK 25.14

-5.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$56.3 SEK 534

-94.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.99 SEK 18.91

-36.18%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$32.3K SEK 305.8K

-5.83%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$34.3K SEK 325.0K

-31.25%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$157 SEK 1,491

-47.23%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$21.27 SEK 202

6.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$31.22 SEK 296

-5.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$41.03 SEK 389

24.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$25.33 SEK 240

-27.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$16.62 SEK 158

-70.34%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$161 SEK 1,526

22.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$4,144 SEK 39.3K

27.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$90.2 SEK 855

-59.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$42.45 SEK 402

-6.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$98.2 SEK 931

-18.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$155 SEK 1,474

-42.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$834 SEK 7,911

14.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$653 SEK 6,195

-26.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$1,413 SEK 13.4K

16.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$1,093 SEK 10.4K

12.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$6,916 SEK 65.6K

-43.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$3,720 SEK 35.3K

73.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$3,323 SEK 31.5K

-79.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.9

501.05%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Varberg: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $834 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 398% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $84.0 in Varberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $374 – 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 42%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,715 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,810 in Varberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 178% 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 $1,271, than in Varberg at $1,810. 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.