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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,623 per month in Varkaus vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,543 per month in Varkaus vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,464 per month in Varkaus vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Varkaus costs about 25% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Varkaus sits 21% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 €10.14

$11.73 MX$203

0.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 €67.4

$41.62 MX$721

88.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 €8.01

$10.64 MX$184

-12.50%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.88

$3.52 MX$61.0

27.84%

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

$3.15 €2.71

$1.51 MX$26.17

108.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.36

$0.97 MX$16.87

61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 €6.10

$2.95 MX$51.1

140.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 €6.59

$4.45 MX$77.2

71.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.38 MX$23.97

-22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.89 MX$32.78

6.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.64 MX$28.37

38.41%

Eggs

$2.42 €2.09

$2.51 MX$43.42

-3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 €6.53

$8.34 MX$145

-9.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.04 €10.37

$8.34 MX$145

44.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 €15.03

$10.73 MX$186

62.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.60 MX$45.12

-14.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.46 MX$25.25

31.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 €2.66

$1.90 MX$32.94

62.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 €3.35

$2.08 MX$35.98

87.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.78 MX$30.77

-52.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.38

$2.19 MX$37.87

-26.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.73

$1.04 MX$18.02

92.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.08 MX$18.66

38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.02 €7.76

$4.08 MX$70.7

121.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 €12.07

$10.32 MX$179

35.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.71 MX$29.67

33.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 €3.19

$2.58 MX$44.63

43.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 €2.97

$0.51 MX$8.83

576.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 €57.9

$26.46 MX$459

154.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 €5.99

$3.26 MX$56.5

113.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.37

$2.49 MX$43.17

-36.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.71 €40.22

$3.25 MX$56.3

1337.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.31 MX$22.65

56.49%

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

$28.4K €24.4K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-6.36%

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

$28.4K €24.5K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

21.24%

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

$88.0 €75.8

$82.9 MX$1,436

6.20%

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

$30.53 €26.29

$22.22 MX$385

37.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 €15.44

$29.34 MX$508

-38.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 €38.45

$51.6 MX$895

-13.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 €20.80

$18.32 MX$317

31.88%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.90

$5.07 MX$87.8

126.82%

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

$336 €289

$201 MX$3,480

67.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,541 €3,910

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-12.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 €85.9

$36.92 MX$640

170.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.68 €26.41

$39.79 MX$689

-22.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 €73.5

$78.5 MX$1,360

8.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$87.1 MX$1,509

36.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 €668

$973 MX$16.9K

-20.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 €558

$468 MX$8,105

38.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 €1,120

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-20.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 €901

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-14.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,164 €3,586

$3,946 MX$68.4K

5.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 €1,888

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-66.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 Varkaus: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Varkaus versus $973 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Varkaus versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Varkaus is pricier by about 25%, 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 $2,434 per month in Varkaus and $1,945 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 $1,623 in Varkaus and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 154% 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 $1,297, than in Varkaus at $1,623. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varkaus 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, Varkaus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.