Cost of Living Comparison Between Varnamo and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Varnamo and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,788 in Varnamo versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,849 in Varnamo versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,910 in Varnamo versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Varnamo is roughly 8% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Varnamo 31% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.63 SEK 134

$11.92 MX$206

14.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 SEK 932

$51.6 MX$890

83.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 SEK 122

$11.41 MX$197

8.41%

Cappuccino

$4.93 SEK 48.62

$3.99 MX$68.9

23.56%

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

$2.76 SEK 27.22

$1.66 MX$28.61

66.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SEK 21.94

$1.33 MX$22.87

67.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.28 SEK 81.6

$3.47 MX$59.9

138.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 SEK 72.4

$5.90 MX$102

24.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SEK 16.84

$1.88 MX$32.36

-9.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 SEK 26.91

$3.25 MX$56.1

-16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 SEK 38.63

$2.16 MX$37.26

81.48%

Eggs

$4.70 SEK 46.33

$2.90 MX$49.94

62.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 SEK 129

$12.86 MX$222

1.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.30 SEK 121

$10.05 MX$173

22.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.53 SEK 173

$15.86 MX$273

10.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 SEK 30.89

$3.29 MX$56.8

-4.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 29.57

$2.01 MX$34.60

49.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 28.44

$2.20 MX$37.93

31.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 SEK 46.08

$2.36 MX$40.63

98.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 17.66

$2.05 MX$35.43

-12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.70

$1.90 MX$32.79

-21.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 SEK 27.00

$1.61 MX$27.68

70.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SEK 15.81

$1.40 MX$24.09

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.02 SEK 79.0

$5.46 MX$94.2

46.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 SEK 115

$17.65 MX$304

-33.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 SEK 19.96

$2.06 MX$35.44

-1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 SEK 27.45

$4.68 MX$80.8

-40.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 33.57

$0.34 MX$5.84

902.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.1 SEK 789

$20.81 MX$359

284.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 SEK 50.6

$2.10 MX$36.15

144.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 SEK 11.45

$0.56 MX$9.64

107.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.03 SEK 424

$5.81 MX$100

640.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.72

$1.61 MX$27.68

11.80%

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

$34.1K SEK 336.2K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

49.37%

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

$34.4K SEK 338.5K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

28.41%

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

$81.5 SEK 803

$65.2 MX$1,124

24.98%

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

$32.13 SEK 317

$30.09 MX$519

6.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.81 SEK 422

$37.18 MX$641

15.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.50 SEK 389

$59.8 MX$1,030

-33.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.42 SEK 260

$26.55 MX$458

-0.49%

Cinema Ticket

$15.50 SEK 153

$7.04 MX$121

120.17%

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

$165 SEK 1,628

$465 MX$8,012

-64.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,125 SEK 50.5K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-61.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 SEK 819

$75.9 MX$1,308

9.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 SEK 596

$56.0 MX$965

8.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SEK 1,043

$112 MX$1,929

-5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 SEK 1,271

$121 MX$2,078

7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SEK 8,319

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-23.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 SEK 6,118

$721 MX$12.4K

-13.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 SEK 13.9K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-44.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 SEK 10.2K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-19.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,235 SEK 41.7K

$3,991 MX$68.8K

6.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,859 SEK 28.2K

$2,090 MX$36.0K

36.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,104 SEK 20.7K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

102.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.03

11.3

-73.19%

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

Last update for Varnamo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $844 in Varnamo and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varnamo pays 103% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $95.0 in Varnamo vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $345 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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

Varnamo vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varnamo and Mexico City differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,788 vs $1,660 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 103% higher in Varnamo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $844 in Varnamo versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 285% less than in Varnamo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $165 in Varnamo versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,788 in Varnamo, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Varnamo. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Varnamo and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Varnamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.