🙂A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,814 in Varnamo, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,828 in Varnamo, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,842 in Varnamo, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen is about 29% cheaper than Varnamo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Varnamo is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Varnamo
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$12.57SEK 117
-5.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$87.3SEK 812
-51.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$12.19SEK 113
-13.13%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$5.05SEK 46.93
-28.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$2.84SEK 26.38
-48.24%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$2.07SEK 19.28
-54.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$8.00SEK 74.4
-61.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$7.51SEK 69.8
-40.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Varnamo
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.60SEK 14.90
-10.63%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$2.13SEK 19.83
-11.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$2.94SEK 27.34
-44.56%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$4.44SEK 41.29
-40.54%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$13.16SEK 122
-37.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$11.74SEK 109
-29.39%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$16.83SEK 157
-34.05%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$3.17SEK 29.50
-16.40%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$2.82SEK 26.23
-46.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$2.77SEK 25.75
-28.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$4.52SEK 42.07
-53.98%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.69SEK 15.69
5.92%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.59SEK 14.83
37.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$2.66SEK 24.78
-59.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$1.28SEK 11.89
-18.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$8.20SEK 76.3
-51.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$12.22SEK 114
-16.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$2.02SEK 18.80
-14.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.25SEK 20.91
11.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Varnamo
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$3.48SEK 32.36
-85.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$73.7SEK 686
-63.41%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$5.61SEK 52.2
-44.03%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$2.56SEK 23.77
-6.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$63.8SEK 593
-95.16%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.89SEK 17.61
-32.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$32.7KSEK 303.8K
-5.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$34.1KSEK 316.8K
-31.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Varnamo
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$123SEK 1,141
-33.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$29.26SEK 272
-23.27%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$40.11SEK 373
-26.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Varnamo
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$41.27SEK 384
25.68%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$24.88SEK 231
-24.96%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$17.70SEK 165
-71.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Varnamo
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$179SEK 1,664
10.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$4,165SEK 38.7K
26.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Varnamo
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$80.2SEK 746
-54.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$61.0SEK 567
-34.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$106SEK 986
-24.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$127SEK 1,181
-30.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Varnamo
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$833SEK 7,743
15.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$663SEK 6,169
-29.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$1,377SEK 12.8K
15.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$1,065SEK 9,902
13.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$4,394SEK 40.9K
-10.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$3,014SEK 28.0K
113.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Varnamo
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$2,169SEK 20.2K
-66.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4.8
137.92%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Varnamo: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $833 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 201% 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 $87.0 in Varnamo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $355 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Varnamo: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Varnamo cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
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.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,720 in Varnamo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Varnamo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,814 in Varnamo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 173% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Varnamo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Varnamo at $1,814. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varnamo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Varnamo more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Varnamo?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado