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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,873 per month in Varberg vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,861 per month in Varberg vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,850 per month in Varberg vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Varberg costs about 49% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Varberg sits 40% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.52 SEK 124

$11.67 MX$202

15.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 SEK 789

$41.88 MX$726

104.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 SEK 93.4

$10.40 MX$180

-2.31%

Cappuccino

$4.10 SEK 37.70

$3.61 MX$62.6

13.57%

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

$0.99 SEK 9.13

$1.47 MX$25.45

-32.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 SEK 8.99

$0.91 MX$15.80

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 SEK 72.9

$3.03 MX$52.6

161.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.89 SEK 72.5

$4.47 MX$77.4

76.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SEK 13.73

$1.38 MX$23.83

7.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 SEK 29.02

$1.84 MX$31.93

71.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 SEK 32.29

$1.61 MX$27.82

118.01%

Eggs

$4.45 SEK 40.90

$2.57 MX$44.52

73.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 SEK 112

$8.49 MX$147

42.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 SEK 107

$8.49 MX$147

36.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.32 SEK 196

$10.99 MX$190

93.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 SEK 30.51

$2.73 MX$47.25

21.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.00

$1.50 MX$25.92

88.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 SEK 31.58

$1.96 MX$33.93

75.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 SEK 44.24

$2.12 MX$36.70

126.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 SEK 14.11

$1.86 MX$32.30

-17.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 SEK 17.88

$2.17 MX$37.67

-10.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SEK 23.17

$1.07 MX$18.59

135.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 SEK 10.46

$1.05 MX$18.18

8.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.21 SEK 66.4

$4.19 MX$72.6

72.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 SEK 98.8

$10.28 MX$178

4.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.17

$1.67 MX$28.87

24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SEK 11.96

$2.49 MX$43.12

-47.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 SEK 26.99

$0.54 MX$9.37

442.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 SEK 686

$26.27 MX$455

183.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 SEK 48.97

$3.10 MX$53.8

71.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 SEK 23.55

$2.46 MX$42.66

4.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.0 SEK 515

$3.24 MX$56.1

1628.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 17.65

$1.26 MX$21.83

52.38%

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

$32.9K SEK 302.4K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

8.95%

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

$33.3K SEK 306.8K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

42.24%

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

$154 SEK 1,419

$84.0 MX$1,456

83.66%

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

$21.13 SEK 194

$22.21 MX$385

-4.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.27 SEK 297

$29.65 MX$514

8.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 SEK 378

$52.6 MX$912

-21.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.52 SEK 235

$18.34 MX$318

39.15%

Cinema Ticket

$16.57 SEK 152

$4.95 MX$85.7

234.75%

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

$156 SEK 1,432

$198 MX$3,438

-21.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,124 SEK 37.9K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-22.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 SEK 824

$35.95 MX$623

149.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 SEK 383

$40.06 MX$694

3.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 SEK 925

$78.8 MX$1,365

27.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 SEK 1,468

$86.5 MX$1,499

84.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 SEK 7,795

$977 MX$16.9K

-13.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 SEK 6,109

$471 MX$8,158

41.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 SEK 12.8K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-12.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 SEK 10.0K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-10.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,272 SEK 39.3K

$4,032 MX$69.9K

5.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,993 SEK 27.5K

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-54.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,434 SEK 31.6K

$714 MX$12.4K

380.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

11.42

-83.36%

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

Last update for Varberg: April 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $847 in Varberg versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. 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 381% higher in Varberg, 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 $86 in Varberg versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $252 – 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

Varberg vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varberg is pricier by about 49%, 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 $2,809 per month in Varberg and $1,891 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,873 in Varberg and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 184% 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 $1,261, than in Varberg at $1,873. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varberg 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, Varberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.