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 $1,671 per month in Varberg vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,673 per month in Varberg vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,675 per month in Varberg vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Varberg costs about 28% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Varberg sits 21% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.62 SEK 151

$11.96 MX$203

30.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 SEK 774

$47.38 MX$804

68.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 SEK 103

$11.75 MX$199

-9.87%

Cappuccino

$3.90 SEK 37.85

$4.12 MX$70.0

-5.34%

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

$1.23 SEK 11.90

$1.40 MX$23.74

-12.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 SEK 10.81

$0.91 MX$15.48

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 SEK 61.6

$3.21 MX$54.4

97.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 SEK 76.6

$7.07 MX$120

11.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 SEK 15.04

$1.68 MX$28.44

-7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 SEK 29.80

$2.15 MX$36.48

42.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.52 SEK 34.15

$1.77 MX$30.10

98.87%

Eggs

$4.33 SEK 41.99

$2.82 MX$47.76

53.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 SEK 128

$9.20 MX$156

44.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 SEK 113

$9.23 MX$157

26.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.42 SEK 198

$12.64 MX$214

61.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 SEK 30.94

$2.95 MX$50.1

8.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 25.19

$1.58 MX$26.79

64.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 SEK 30.58

$2.22 MX$37.70

41.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 SEK 42.33

$2.36 MX$40.09

85.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 15.02

$1.99 MX$33.81

-22.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.66

$1.98 MX$33.58

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 SEK 25.72

$1.24 MX$21.04

113.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 SEK 9.91

$1.21 MX$20.55

-15.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.11 SEK 68.9

$4.60 MX$78.1

54.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 SEK 102

$10.52 MX$178

-0.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 20.35

$1.69 MX$28.70

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.29

$2.77 MX$47.06

-54.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 SEK 28.81

$0.60 MX$10.22

395.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 SEK 791

$29.70 MX$504

174.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 SEK 51.5

$5.24 MX$88.8

1.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 SEK 24.50

$3.65 MX$61.9

-30.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.5 SEK 499

$5.78 MX$98.1

791.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.53

$1.54 MX$26.09

17.53%

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

$34.3K SEK 332.8K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

50.55%

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

$35.2K SEK 340.8K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

36.21%

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

$146 SEK 1,411

$90.7 MX$1,538

60.56%

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

$20.72 SEK 201

$25.19 MX$427

-17.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.78 SEK 298

$31.75 MX$539

-3.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.70 SEK 404

$68.8 MX$1,167

-39.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.46 SEK 402

$29.37 MX$498

41.16%

Cinema Ticket

$16.46 SEK 160

$4.86 MX$82.5

238.68%

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

$159 SEK 1,544

$226 MX$3,828

-29.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,590 SEK 34.8K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-14.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 SEK 718

$47.38 MX$804

56.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 SEK 397

$43.45 MX$737

-5.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 SEK 1,093

$80.2 MX$1,361

40.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 SEK 1,544

$91.4 MX$1,550

74.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SEK 8,185

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-22.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 SEK 5,130

$409 MX$6,933

29.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 SEK 12.1K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-36.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 SEK 9,211

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-25.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,747 SEK 65.4K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

66.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,577 SEK 34.7K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-46.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,274 SEK 31.7K

$773 MX$13.1K

323.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

11.45

-83.41%

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

Last update for Varberg: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Varberg versus $1,086 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 323% 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 $80.0 in Varberg versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $278 – 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 28%, 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 $2,507 per month in Varberg and $1,958 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 $1,671 in Varberg and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 175% 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 $1,305, than in Varberg at $1,671. 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.