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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,788 per month in Varnamo vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,849 per month in Varnamo vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,910 per month in Varnamo vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Varnamo costs about 41% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Varnamo sits 31% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.63 SEK 134

$11.60 MX$200

17.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 SEK 932

$47.11 MX$812

100.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 SEK 122

$11.88 MX$205

4.12%

Cappuccino

$4.93 SEK 48.62

$3.98 MX$68.6

23.87%

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

$2.76 SEK 27.22

$1.43 MX$24.60

93.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SEK 21.94

$0.82 MX$14.22

171.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.28 SEK 81.6

$3.19 MX$55.0

159.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 SEK 72.4

$6.79 MX$117

8.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SEK 16.84

$1.68 MX$28.89

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 SEK 26.91

$2.20 MX$37.88

24.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 SEK 38.63

$1.71 MX$29.45

129.24%

Eggs

$4.70 SEK 46.33

$2.74 MX$47.26

71.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 SEK 129

$9.58 MX$165

36.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.30 SEK 121

$9.01 MX$155

36.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.53 SEK 173

$12.81 MX$221

36.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 SEK 30.89

$2.89 MX$49.81

8.30%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 29.57

$1.50 MX$25.81

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 28.44

$2.15 MX$37.03

34.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 SEK 46.08

$2.26 MX$38.96

107.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 17.66

$1.98 MX$34.15

-9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.70

$1.99 MX$34.30

-25.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 SEK 27.00

$1.23 MX$21.28

122.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SEK 15.81

$1.20 MX$20.63

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.02 SEK 79.0

$4.55 MX$78.5

76.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 SEK 115

$10.37 MX$179

12.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 SEK 19.96

$1.62 MX$27.91

25.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 SEK 27.45

$2.88 MX$49.67

-3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 33.57

$0.60 MX$10.35

468.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.1 SEK 789

$28.80 MX$497

178.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 SEK 50.6

$5.39 MX$92.9

-4.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 SEK 11.45

$3.73 MX$64.3

-68.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.03 SEK 424

$5.77 MX$99.5

645.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.72

$1.54 MX$26.48

16.88%

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

$34.1K SEK 336.2K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

51.31%

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

$34.4K SEK 338.5K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

31.83%

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

$81.5 SEK 803

$91.4 MX$1,576

-10.86%

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

$32.13 SEK 317

$25.20 MX$435

27.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.81 SEK 422

$31.24 MX$539

37.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.50 SEK 389

$67.2 MX$1,159

-41.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.42 SEK 260

$29.11 MX$502

-9.24%

Cinema Ticket

$15.50 SEK 153

$4.86 MX$83.8

218.93%

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

$165 SEK 1,628

$224 MX$3,856

-26.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,125 SEK 50.5K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

21.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 SEK 819

$47.10 MX$812

76.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 SEK 596

$44.29 MX$764

36.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SEK 1,043

$80.1 MX$1,381

32.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 SEK 1,271

$92.7 MX$1,598

39.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SEK 8,319

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-20.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 SEK 6,118

$390 MX$6,728

59.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 SEK 13.9K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-34.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 SEK 10.2K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-18.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,235 SEK 41.7K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

5.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,859 SEK 28.2K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-56.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,104 SEK 20.7K

$758 MX$13.1K

177.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.03

11.45

-73.54%

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

Last update for Varnamo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Varnamo versus $1,063 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 177% higher in Varnamo, 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 $95.0 in Varnamo versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $379 vs $276 – 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

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

Yes – Varnamo is pricier by about 41%, 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 $2,682 per month in Varnamo and $1,899 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 $1,788 in Varnamo and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 178% 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 $1,266, than in Varnamo at $1,788. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varnamo 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, Varnamo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.