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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,737 in Vaxjo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,640 in Vaxjo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,544 in Vaxjo, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Vaxjo is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$12.59 SEK 122

-4.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$68.0 SEK 658

-38.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.54 SEK 102

1.99%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.04 SEK 39.07

-13.37%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.27 SEK 12.32

14.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.29 SEK 12.53

-31.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.32 SEK 70.9

-59.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.00 SEK 67.8

-35.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.77 SEK 17.14

-19.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.37 SEK 22.96

-22.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.06 SEK 39.31

-61.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.02 SEK 38.95

-37.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.82 SEK 134

-40.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$11.58 SEK 112

-27.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$13.82 SEK 134

-22.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.52 SEK 34.13

-25.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.69 SEK 26.07

-46.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.55 SEK 14.97

26.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$4.67 SEK 45.25

-55.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.57 SEK 15.18

17.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.02 SEK 19.60

7.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.78 SEK 26.94

-62.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.69 SEK 16.37

-36.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$7.17 SEK 69.4

-42.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$9.43 SEK 91.3

7.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.71 SEK 16.57

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.95 SEK 18.89

29.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.11 SEK 30.11

-83.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$67.3 SEK 652

-61.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$10.64 SEK 103

-69.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.60 SEK 15.46

50.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$21.41 SEK 207

-84.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.97 SEK 19.11

-32.99%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$32.6K SEK 315.5K

-8.87%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$31.1K SEK 301.1K

-23.90%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$91.5 SEK 886

-10.33%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$27.97 SEK 271

-17.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$32.21 SEK 312

-6.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$39.24 SEK 380

32.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$25.72 SEK 249

-27.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$16.85 SEK 163

-70.45%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$146 SEK 1,415

35.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$731 SEK 7,076

630.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$107 SEK 1,035

-66.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$25.93 SEK 251

55.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$101 SEK 976

-21.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$142 SEK 1,379

-37.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$839 SEK 8,121

12.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$680 SEK 6,583

-30.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,593 SEK 15.4K

3.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$991 SEK 9,599

22.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,516 SEK 24.4K

157.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$3,239 SEK 31.4K

-79.81%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Vaxjo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $839 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 395% 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 $68.0 in Vaxjo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $349 – 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 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,605 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,737 in Vaxjo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 158% 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 $1,256, than in Vaxjo at $1,737. 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.