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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,841 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,819 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,796 in Varnamo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 31% cheaper than Varnamo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Varnamo is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$12.64 SEK 119

-6.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$88.6 SEK 831

-51.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$11.82 SEK 111

-9.90%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.89 SEK 45.83

-29.45%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.90 SEK 27.24

-48.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.14 SEK 20.08

-55.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$8.11 SEK 76.1

-62.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$7.21 SEK 67.6

-36.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.61 SEK 15.06

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.21 SEK 20.77

-16.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.96 SEK 27.79

-45.61%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$4.44 SEK 41.61

-41.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$13.09 SEK 123

-36.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$11.54 SEK 108

-27.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$17.41 SEK 163

-38.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.17 SEK 29.70

-17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.89 SEK 27.10

-48.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.82 SEK 26.47

-31.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.31 SEK 40.44

-51.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.67 SEK 15.71

11.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.58 SEK 14.86

43.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.64 SEK 24.78

-59.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.28 SEK 12.02

-14.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$7.86 SEK 73.7

-47.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$11.90 SEK 112

-12.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.94 SEK 18.22

-11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.22 SEK 20.81

17.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$3.29 SEK 30.82

-83.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$73.2 SEK 687

-63.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$5.66 SEK 53.1

-44.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.57 SEK 24.09

-2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$62.9 SEK 590

-94.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.95 SEK 18.25

-34.87%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$33.2K SEK 311.5K

-8.55%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$34.1K SEK 319.6K

-30.83%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$122 SEK 1,143

-31.86%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$28.28 SEK 265

-19.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$41.20 SEK 387

-28.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$40.64 SEK 381

25.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$25.11 SEK 236

-27.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$17.74 SEK 166

-72.21%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$174 SEK 1,635

13.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,125 SEK 38.7K

28.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$78.6 SEK 737

-53.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$60.7 SEK 569

-34.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$104 SEK 977

-23.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$131 SEK 1,225

-31.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$852 SEK 7,988

12.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$645 SEK 6,047

-25.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,375 SEK 12.9K

19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,070 SEK 10.0K

14.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$4,312 SEK 40.4K

-9.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$3,016 SEK 28.3K

114.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$2,115 SEK 19.8K

-68.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.8

137.92%

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 Varnamo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $852 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 217% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $89.0 in Varnamo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $355 – 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 45%, 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 $2,762 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,841 in Varnamo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 172% 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 Varnamo at $1,841. 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.