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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,803 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,833 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,863 in Varnamo, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$12.77 SEK 121

-8.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$88.7 SEK 843

-52.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$11.98 SEK 114

-12.27%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.93 SEK 46.85

-27.18%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.87 SEK 27.24

-47.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.13 SEK 20.21

-56.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$8.03 SEK 76.3

-63.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.58 SEK 72.0

-41.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.60 SEK 15.25

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.16 SEK 20.55

-12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.06 SEK 29.04

-49.02%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$4.62 SEK 43.84

-43.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.84 SEK 122

-35.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$11.69 SEK 111

-28.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$17.16 SEK 163

-36.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.21 SEK 30.47

-15.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.87 SEK 27.22

-47.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.89 SEK 27.45

-35.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.45 SEK 42.23

-50.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.74 SEK 16.49

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.59 SEK 15.06

40.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.55 SEK 24.27

-58.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.24 SEK 11.82

-12.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$7.84 SEK 74.5

-46.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$11.27 SEK 107

-7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.03 SEK 19.29

-18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.23 SEK 21.21

17.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.30 SEK 31.39

-83.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$73.4 SEK 697

-64.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$5.53 SEK 52.5

-44.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.53 SEK 24.08

-5.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$63.9 SEK 607

-95.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.97 SEK 18.69

-33.50%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$32.3K SEK 306.9K

-7.73%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.2K SEK 325.1K

-31.85%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$119 SEK 1,132

-31.81%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$29.16 SEK 277

-22.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$40.96 SEK 389

-26.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$41.18 SEK 391

28.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$25.42 SEK 242

-27.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$18.14 SEK 172

-72.88%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$176 SEK 1,674

13.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,148 SEK 39.4K

24.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$81.4 SEK 774

-55.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$60.8 SEK 577

-33.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$104 SEK 991

-23.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$128 SEK 1,217

-32.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$852 SEK 8,094

14.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$665 SEK 6,320

-29.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,387 SEK 13.2K

19.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,098 SEK 10.4K

9.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$4,181 SEK 39.7K

-5.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$2,906 SEK 27.6K

127.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,092 SEK 19.9K

-67.66%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 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 209% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $89.0 in Varnamo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 43%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,704 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,803 in Varnamo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 180% 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 $1,260, than in Varnamo at $1,803. 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.