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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,847 in Vasteras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,840 in Vasteras, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,834 in Vasteras, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Vasteras is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$14.33 SEK 141

-19.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$66.8 SEK 658

-29.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.18 SEK 100

16.70%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.37 SEK 43.09

-8.92%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.30 SEK 22.63

-37.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.25 SEK 22.21

-63.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$7.14 SEK 70.3

-55.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.03 SEK 69.3

-3.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.43 SEK 14.12

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.97 SEK 29.32

-25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.75 SEK 36.93

-54.40%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.02 SEK 39.62

-31.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.44 SEK 123

-22.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$12.88 SEK 127

-30.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$22.62 SEK 223

-43.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.11 SEK 30.69

-7.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.52 SEK 24.86

-40.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.72 SEK 36.66

-42.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.01 SEK 39.51

-43.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.52 SEK 14.98

30.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.78 SEK 17.49

11.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.24 SEK 22.08

-45.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.49 SEK 14.63

-19.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$7.32 SEK 72.1

-37.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$12.37 SEK 122

-16.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.35 SEK 13.30

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.24 SEK 22.10

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$3.45 SEK 33.97

-82.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$74.0 SEK 729

-61.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.51 SEK 34.56

53.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.86 SEK 28.23

30.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$81.0 SEK 798

-92.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.71 SEK 16.89

-9.94%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$34.2K SEK 337.1K

-34.09%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$33.8K SEK 332.9K

-22.87%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$188 SEK 1,856

-51.49%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$22.71 SEK 224

10.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$44.10 SEK 435

-29.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$34.55 SEK 341

94.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$20.65 SEK 203

40.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$16.81 SEK 166

-71.09%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$152 SEK 1,499

47.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,101 SEK 50.3K

-17.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$106 SEK 1,047

-55.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$40.51 SEK 399

9.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$89.9 SEK 885

-10.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$140 SEK 1,379

-33.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$766 SEK 7,548

38.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$605 SEK 5,964

-35.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,403 SEK 13.8K

53.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,058 SEK 10.4K

20.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$3,672 SEK 36.2K

8.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,554 SEK 25.2K

154.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,069 SEK 30.2K

-75.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.53

224.36%

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 Vasteras: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $766 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 305% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $67.0 in Vasteras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $381 – 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 46%, 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 $2,770 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,847 in Vasteras. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 157% 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 Vasteras at $1,847. 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.