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: $1,803 in Varnamo versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,833 in Varnamo versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,863 in Varnamo versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Varnamo is roughly 22% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Varnamo 35% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.77 SEK 121

$13.14 MX$227

-2.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 SEK 843

$53.5 MX$926

65.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 SEK 114

$9.33 MX$161

28.40%

Cappuccino

$4.93 SEK 46.85

$3.70 MX$64.0

33.24%

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

$2.87 SEK 27.24

$1.60 MX$27.76

79.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 SEK 20.21

$1.12 MX$19.34

90.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 SEK 76.3

$3.14 MX$54.3

155.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 SEK 72.0

$4.85 MX$83.9

56.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 15.25

$1.65 MX$28.61

-3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 SEK 20.55

$2.71 MX$46.96

-20.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 SEK 29.04

$1.91 MX$33.03

60.21%

Eggs

$4.62 SEK 43.84

$2.59 MX$44.81

78.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 SEK 122

$9.81 MX$170

30.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 SEK 111

$8.43 MX$146

38.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 SEK 163

$11.93 MX$206

43.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 30.47

$2.95 MX$51.1

8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 SEK 27.22

$1.74 MX$30.10

64.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 27.45

$2.04 MX$35.38

41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 SEK 42.23

$2.06 MX$35.64

116.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 16.49

$2.15 MX$37.20

-19.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SEK 15.06

$2.26 MX$39.02

-29.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 SEK 24.27

$1.39 MX$23.97

83.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 SEK 11.82

$1.12 MX$19.31

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SEK 74.5

$4.22 MX$73.0

85.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 SEK 107

$17.51 MX$303

-35.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 SEK 19.29

$1.71 MX$29.58

18.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SEK 21.21

$3.63 MX$62.8

-38.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 SEK 31.39

$0.35 MX$6.10

842.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.4 SEK 697

$19.32 MX$334

279.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 SEK 52.5

$1.38 MX$23.80

300.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 SEK 24.08

$0.28 MX$4.77

803.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.9 SEK 607

$5.28 MX$91.3

1110.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.69

$1.36 MX$23.50

44.85%

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

$32.3K SEK 306.9K

$19.1K MX$330.5K

69.10%

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

$34.2K SEK 325.1K

$23.6K MX$408.4K

44.98%

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

$119 SEK 1,132

$40.53 MX$701

194.08%

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

$29.16 SEK 277

$27.38 MX$474

6.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.96 SEK 389

$30.38 MX$526

34.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.18 SEK 391

$52.2 MX$903

-21.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.42 SEK 242

$26.48 MX$458

-4.00%

Cinema Ticket

$18.14 SEK 172

$6.19 MX$107

193.05%

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

$176 SEK 1,674

$425 MX$7,355

-58.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,148 SEK 39.4K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-61.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 SEK 774

$58.3 MX$1,009

39.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SEK 577

$44.57 MX$771

36.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SEK 991

$103 MX$1,791

0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 SEK 1,217

$109 MX$1,881

17.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 SEK 8,094

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-15.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 SEK 6,320

$623 MX$10.8K

6.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 SEK 13.2K

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-34.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 SEK 10.4K

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-10.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,181 SEK 39.7K

$3,792 MX$65.6K

10.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,906 SEK 27.6K

$2,110 MX$36.5K

37.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,092 SEK 19.9K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

98.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

11.34

-57.67%

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

Last update for Varnamo: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $852 in Varnamo and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varnamo pays 99% 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: $89.0 in Varnamo vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $293 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,803 vs $1,472 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 99% 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: $852 in Varnamo versus $1,014 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 280% less than in Varnamo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $176 in Varnamo versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,803 in Varnamo, a $2,000 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 22% less than in Varnamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.