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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,756 in Vasteras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,803 in Vasteras, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,850 in Vasteras, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 28% cheaper than Vasteras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Vasteras is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$14.84 SEK 139

-20.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$67.4 SEK 632

-36.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$10.45 SEK 98.0

1.91%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.64 SEK 43.48

-25.65%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.69 SEK 25.24

-44.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.43 SEK 22.76

-60.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$7.58 SEK 71.1

-60.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$7.19 SEK 67.5

-35.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.53 SEK 14.36

-9.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.64 SEK 24.73

-29.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.94 SEK 36.93

-59.14%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.86 SEK 36.25

-32.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.82 SEK 111

-30.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$12.52 SEK 117

-33.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$15.60 SEK 146

-31.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.20 SEK 30.02

-17.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.67 SEK 25.03

-44.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.42 SEK 32.12

-43.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$3.59 SEK 33.64

-41.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.54 SEK 14.46

20.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.93 SEK 18.08

17.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.78 SEK 26.05

-61.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.72 SEK 16.16

-36.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$7.36 SEK 69.0

-43.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$14.17 SEK 133

-26.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.40 SEK 13.16

22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.91 SEK 17.89

36.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$3.34 SEK 31.30

-83.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$74.0 SEK 694

-63.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.61 SEK 33.88

-13.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.61 SEK 15.08

55.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$83.1 SEK 780

-96.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.92 SEK 18.03

-33.85%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$32.0K SEK 300.2K

-5.10%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.7K SEK 315.9K

-30.02%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$89.5 SEK 839

-7.21%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$28.80 SEK 270

-21.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$37.01 SEK 347

-20.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$37.46 SEK 351

36.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$20.96 SEK 197

-12.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$19.15 SEK 180

-74.26%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$159 SEK 1,489

24.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$5,190 SEK 48.7K

1.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$96.5 SEK 906

-61.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$41.49 SEK 389

-3.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$92.9 SEK 871

-13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$125 SEK 1,168

-28.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$832 SEK 7,800

15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$608 SEK 5,700

-21.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,465 SEK 13.7K

12.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,164 SEK 10.9K

5.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$3,807 SEK 35.7K

2.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$2,599 SEK 24.4K

148.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$3,142 SEK 29.5K

-78.77%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vasteras: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $832 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 371% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $67.0 in Vasteras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 38%, 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 $2,633 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,756 in Vasteras. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 175% 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 Vasteras at $1,756. 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.