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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,764 in Vaxjo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,643 in Vaxjo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,523 in Vaxjo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 26% cheaper than Vaxjo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Vaxjo is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$12.51 SEK 117

-6.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$69.9 SEK 656

-40.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.44 SEK 98.1

1.92%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$4.13 SEK 38.76

-14.77%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.24 SEK 11.68

21.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.31 SEK 12.29

-25.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$7.49 SEK 70.3

-60.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$6.82 SEK 64.0

-34.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.80 SEK 16.90

-23.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.32 SEK 21.81

-18.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.94 SEK 37.01

-58.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.92 SEK 36.87

-35.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$13.79 SEK 130

-39.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.38 SEK 107

-26.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.72 SEK 129

-21.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.69 SEK 34.69

-29.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.69 SEK 25.27

-45.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.56 SEK 14.67

21.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$4.61 SEK 43.28

-54.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.55 SEK 14.58

14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.02 SEK 18.93

8.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.76 SEK 25.91

-62.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.63 SEK 15.32

-33.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$7.13 SEK 67.0

-42.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$10.04 SEK 94.3

2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.78 SEK 16.72

-3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.89 SEK 17.74

36.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$3.03 SEK 28.43

-83.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$67.6 SEK 635

-60.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$10.54 SEK 99.0

-69.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.65 SEK 15.46

50.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$21.48 SEK 202

-84.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.98 SEK 18.58

-33.84%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$32.4K SEK 304.0K

-6.44%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$32.2K SEK 302.2K

-27.18%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$88.6 SEK 832

-6.41%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$27.95 SEK 262

-20.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$32.23 SEK 303

-8.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$38.87 SEK 365

32.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$25.74 SEK 242

-28.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$16.62 SEK 156

-69.49%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$147 SEK 1,380

36.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$752 SEK 7,067

592.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$106 SEK 999

-65.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$26.54 SEK 249

49.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$101 SEK 953

-22.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$143 SEK 1,339

-38.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$845 SEK 7,941

15.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$678 SEK 6,366

-30.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,571 SEK 14.8K

4.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$990 SEK 9,296

23.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,620 SEK 24.6K

148.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,306 SEK 31.1K

-79.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.53

152.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Vaxjo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $845 in Vaxjo. 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 398% higher in Vaxjo, 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 $70.0 in Vaxjo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $348 – 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 Vaxjo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vaxjo is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,646 in Vaxjo. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,764 in Vaxjo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 156% 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 $1,297, than in Vaxjo at $1,764. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vaxjo 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, Vaxjo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.