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 $1,804 per month in Varberg vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,844 per month in Varberg vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,885 per month in Varberg vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Varberg costs about 43% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Varberg sits 35% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.56 SEK 132

$11.95 MX$209

13.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.8 SEK 805

$41.94 MX$734

97.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 SEK 97.4

$10.42 MX$182

-3.74%

Cappuccino

$4.14 SEK 40.23

$3.51 MX$61.5

17.95%

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

$0.97 SEK 9.46

$1.52 MX$26.53

-36.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 SEK 9.50

$0.91 MX$15.93

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 SEK 78.3

$3.04 MX$53.2

165.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 SEK 75.5

$4.37 MX$76.5

78.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 SEK 15.26

$1.42 MX$24.86

10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 SEK 29.58

$1.83 MX$32.03

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 SEK 34.26

$1.63 MX$28.60

116.56%

Eggs

$4.33 SEK 42.06

$2.54 MX$44.43

70.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 SEK 119

$8.57 MX$150

42.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 SEK 115

$8.49 MX$149

39.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.19 SEK 206

$10.80 MX$189

96.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 SEK 32.21

$2.75 MX$48.19

20.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 SEK 28.43

$1.44 MX$25.13

103.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 SEK 31.82

$1.89 MX$33.00

73.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 SEK 46.05

$2.17 MX$37.96

118.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.74

$1.78 MX$31.13

-8.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.95

$2.22 MX$38.91

-12.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 25.34

$1.07 MX$18.70

143.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 SEK 11.16

$1.08 MX$18.89

6.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 SEK 68.1

$4.15 MX$72.5

68.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 SEK 101

$10.45 MX$183

-0.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 20.11

$1.74 MX$30.50

18.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 SEK 12.17

$2.58 MX$45.16

-51.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 SEK 27.38

$0.51 MX$8.98

452.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 SEK 709

$25.94 MX$454

181.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 SEK 49.68

$3.21 MX$56.2

59.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 SEK 24.73

$2.50 MX$43.78

2.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.8 SEK 542

$3.19 MX$55.7

1649.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.78

$1.26 MX$21.98

53.17%

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

$32.9K SEK 319.2K

$29.7K MX$519.3K

10.70%

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

$33.7K SEK 327.0K

$23.7K MX$414.3K

42.15%

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

$157 SEK 1,529

$82.0 MX$1,435

91.88%

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

$20.83 SEK 202

$22.73 MX$398

-8.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.21 SEK 313

$29.42 MX$515

9.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.62 SEK 395

$52.2 MX$913

-22.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.23 SEK 245

$18.45 MX$323

36.75%

Cinema Ticket

$16.86 SEK 164

$4.93 MX$86.3

241.99%

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

$161 SEK 1,564

$202 MX$3,530

-20.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,058 SEK 39.4K

$5,217 MX$91.3K

-22.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.2 SEK 856

$35.93 MX$629

145.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 SEK 405

$40.33 MX$706

3.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 SEK 978

$79.9 MX$1,397

26.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,521

$89.3 MX$1,562

75.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SEK 8,120

$948 MX$16.6K

-11.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 6,267

$465 MX$8,140

38.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 SEK 13.4K

$1,630 MX$28.5K

-15.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 SEK 10.7K

$1,193 MX$20.9K

-7.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,638 SEK 64.5K

$3,933 MX$68.8K

68.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,652 SEK 35.5K

$6,428 MX$112.4K

-43.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,197 SEK 31.0K

$658 MX$11.5K

385.67%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $836 in Varberg versus $948 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 386% 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 $83.0 in Varberg versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 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 43%, 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 $2,707 per month in Varberg and $1,888 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 $1,804 in Varberg and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 181% 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 $1,259, than in Varberg at $1,804. 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.