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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,726 in Vasteras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,721 in Vasteras, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,716 in Vasteras, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 27% cheaper than Vasteras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Vasteras is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$14.54 SEK 138

-19.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$68.1 SEK 647

-38.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.47 SEK 99.5

0.38%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.48 SEK 42.53

-19.87%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.69 SEK 25.52

-43.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.52 SEK 23.97

-63.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$7.42 SEK 70.5

-60.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.26 SEK 68.9

-39.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.53 SEK 14.56

-8.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.73 SEK 25.89

-31.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.73 SEK 35.43

-58.18%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$4.05 SEK 38.49

-35.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.04 SEK 114

-30.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$12.29 SEK 117

-32.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$15.62 SEK 148

-30.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.32 SEK 31.53

-18.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.63 SEK 25.02

-42.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.61 SEK 34.28

-48.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$3.79 SEK 36.00

-42.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.50 SEK 14.29

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.01 SEK 19.09

10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.68 SEK 25.45

-60.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.76 SEK 16.70

-38.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$7.18 SEK 68.2

-41.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.56 SEK 119

-16.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.46 SEK 13.82

13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.98 SEK 18.86

31.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.41 SEK 32.40

-84.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$73.7 SEK 700

-64.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.78 SEK 35.92

-18.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.59 SEK 15.10

50.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$84.8 SEK 806

-96.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.99 SEK 18.86

-34.17%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$32.2K SEK 306.1K

-7.49%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.8K SEK 330.2K

-32.90%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$88.2 SEK 838

-7.88%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$28.82 SEK 274

-21.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$36.67 SEK 348

-18.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$37.42 SEK 356

41.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$21.43 SEK 204

-14.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$19.82 SEK 188

-75.18%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$160 SEK 1,520

25.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,216 SEK 49.6K

-0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$95.9 SEK 911

-62.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$42.87 SEK 407

-6.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$92.3 SEK 877

-13.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$125 SEK 1,183

-30.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$839 SEK 7,971

16.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$597 SEK 5,673

-21.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,482 SEK 14.1K

11.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,133 SEK 10.8K

6.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$3,751 SEK 35.6K

5.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$2,543 SEK 24.2K

159.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$3,080 SEK 29.3K

-78.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.87

134.50%

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 Vasteras: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $839 in Vasteras. 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 355% higher in Vasteras, 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 $68.0 in Vasteras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $361 – 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 Vasteras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vasteras is pricier by about 37%, 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 $2,588 in Vasteras. 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 $1,726 in Vasteras. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 182% 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 Vasteras at $1,726. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vasteras 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, Vasteras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.