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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,695 in Vaxjo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,576 in Vaxjo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,457 in Vaxjo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 25% cheaper than Vaxjo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Vaxjo is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$13.66 SEK 135

-15.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$65.4 SEK 644

-27.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.30 SEK 101

15.34%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.09 SEK 40.31

-2.69%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.55 SEK 15.24

-7.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.38 SEK 13.62

-40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$7.25 SEK 71.4

-56.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.77 SEK 66.7

0.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.81 SEK 17.82

-7.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.47 SEK 24.36

-10.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$4.07 SEK 40.09

-57.99%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.69 SEK 46.21

-41.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.55 SEK 134

-29.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$10.88 SEK 107

-17.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$12.15 SEK 120

5.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.17 SEK 31.28

-8.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.10 SEK 20.74

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.10 SEK 20.66

2.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.66 SEK 45.89

-51.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.46 SEK 14.38

35.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.63 SEK 16.04

22.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.38 SEK 23.44

-48.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.41 SEK 13.92

-14.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$7.35 SEK 72.4

-38.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.85 SEK 77.4

32.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.02 SEK 19.88

-19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.68 SEK 16.56

71.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$3.10 SEK 30.58

-80.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$65.5 SEK 646

-56.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$8.12 SEK 80.0

-33.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.07 SEK 20.42

80.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$83.2 SEK 820

-93.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.80 SEK 17.70

-14.44%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$34.4K SEK 339.3K

-34.51%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$33.5K SEK 330.1K

-22.20%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$92.2 SEK 909

-0.91%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$31.17 SEK 307

-19.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$31.30 SEK 308

-0.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$35.43 SEK 349

89.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$20.21 SEK 199

44.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$16.47 SEK 162

-70.49%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$155 SEK 1,530

44.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$101 SEK 998

-53.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$30.63 SEK 302

44.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$71.3 SEK 702

12.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$88.5 SEK 872

4.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$819 SEK 8,075

29.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$656 SEK 6,464

-40.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,528 SEK 15.1K

40.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$967 SEK 9,527

31.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,500 SEK 24.6K

160.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,260 SEK 32.1K

-76.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.2

257.81%

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 Vaxjo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $819 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 330% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $65.0 in Vaxjo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $333 – 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 34%, 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 $2,543 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,695 in Vaxjo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 128% 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 Vaxjo at $1,695. 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.