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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,788 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,849 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,910 in Varnamo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 29% cheaper than Varnamo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Varnamo is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$13.63 SEK 134

-14.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$94.6 SEK 932

-50.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$12.37 SEK 122

-3.96%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.93 SEK 48.62

-19.27%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.76 SEK 27.22

-48.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.23 SEK 21.94

-63.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$8.28 SEK 81.6

-61.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.34 SEK 72.4

-7.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.71 SEK 16.84

-1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.73 SEK 26.91

-19.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.92 SEK 38.63

-56.38%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.70 SEK 46.33

-41.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.11 SEK 129

-26.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$12.30 SEK 121

-26.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$17.53 SEK 173

-26.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.13 SEK 30.89

-7.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.00 SEK 29.57

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.89 SEK 28.44

-25.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.68 SEK 46.08

-51.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.79 SEK 17.66

10.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.49 SEK 14.70

33.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.74 SEK 27.00

-55.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.60 SEK 15.81

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$8.02 SEK 79.0

-43.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$11.67 SEK 115

-11.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.03 SEK 19.96

-20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.79 SEK 27.45

3.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$3.41 SEK 33.57

-82.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$80.1 SEK 789

-64.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.14 SEK 50.6

4.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.16 SEK 11.45

221.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$43.03 SEK 424

-86.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.80 SEK 17.72

-14.44%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$34.1K SEK 336.2K

-33.91%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$34.4K SEK 338.5K

-24.14%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$81.5 SEK 803

12.18%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$32.13 SEK 317

-21.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$42.81 SEK 422

-27.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$39.50 SEK 389

70.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$26.42 SEK 260

10.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$15.50 SEK 153

-68.65%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$165 SEK 1,628

35.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,125 SEK 50.5K

-17.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$83.1 SEK 819

-43.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$60.5 SEK 596

-26.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$106 SEK 1,043

-24.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$129 SEK 1,271

-28.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$844 SEK 8,319

25.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$621 SEK 6,118

-37.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,410 SEK 13.9K

52.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,038 SEK 10.2K

22.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$4,235 SEK 41.7K

-5.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,859 SEK 28.2K

127.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,104 SEK 20.7K

-63.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.03

277.89%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $844 in Varnamo. 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 177% higher in Varnamo, 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 $95.0 in Varnamo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $379 – 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 Varnamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varnamo is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,682 in Varnamo. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,788 in Varnamo. 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 $1,266, than in Varnamo at $1,788. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varnamo 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, Varnamo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.