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 $1,803 per month in Varnamo vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,833 per month in Varnamo vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,863 per month in Varnamo vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Varnamo costs about 43% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Varnamo sits 35% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.77 SEK 121

$11.72 MX$203

8.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 SEK 843

$41.89 MX$725

111.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 SEK 114

$10.51 MX$182

13.99%

Cappuccino

$4.93 SEK 46.85

$3.59 MX$62.0

37.33%

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

$2.87 SEK 27.24

$1.51 MX$26.10

90.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 SEK 20.21

$0.92 MX$15.83

131.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 SEK 76.3

$2.96 MX$51.2

171.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 SEK 72.0

$4.41 MX$76.3

71.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 15.25

$1.40 MX$24.16

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 SEK 20.55

$1.88 MX$32.60

14.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 SEK 29.04

$1.56 MX$26.97

96.15%

Eggs

$4.62 SEK 43.84

$2.61 MX$45.14

77.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 SEK 122

$8.32 MX$144

54.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 SEK 111

$8.35 MX$145

40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 SEK 163

$10.86 MX$188

58.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 30.47

$2.71 MX$46.93

18.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 SEK 27.22

$1.51 MX$26.04

90.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 27.45

$1.87 MX$32.41

54.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 SEK 42.23

$2.19 MX$37.89

103.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 16.49

$1.86 MX$32.14

-6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SEK 15.06

$2.23 MX$38.59

-28.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 SEK 24.27

$1.07 MX$18.48

138.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 SEK 11.82

$1.09 MX$18.79

13.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SEK 74.5

$4.19 MX$72.4

87.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 SEK 107

$10.43 MX$180

8.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 SEK 19.29

$1.66 MX$28.68

22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SEK 21.21

$2.61 MX$45.19

-14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 SEK 31.39

$0.54 MX$9.37

511.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.4 SEK 697

$26.16 MX$453

180.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 SEK 52.5

$3.08 MX$53.3

79.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 SEK 24.08

$2.40 MX$41.61

5.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.9 SEK 607

$3.13 MX$54.1

1941.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.69

$1.31 MX$22.69

50.38%

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

$32.3K SEK 306.9K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

8.37%

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

$34.2K SEK 325.1K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

46.74%

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

$119 SEK 1,132

$81.3 MX$1,406

46.64%

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

$29.16 SEK 277

$22.56 MX$390

29.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.96 SEK 389

$30.05 MX$520

36.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.18 SEK 391

$52.9 MX$915

-22.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.42 SEK 242

$18.39 MX$318

38.23%

Cinema Ticket

$18.14 SEK 172

$4.92 MX$85.1

268.70%

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

$176 SEK 1,674

$201 MX$3,474

-12.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,148 SEK 39.4K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-19.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 SEK 774

$35.92 MX$622

126.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SEK 577

$40.13 MX$694

51.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SEK 991

$79.7 MX$1,379

30.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 SEK 1,217

$86.5 MX$1,496

48.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 SEK 8,094

$978 MX$16.9K

-12.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 SEK 6,320

$470 MX$8,140

41.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 SEK 13.2K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-15.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 SEK 10.4K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-8.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,181 SEK 39.7K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

5.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,906 SEK 27.6K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-56.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,092 SEK 19.9K

$677 MX$11.7K

209.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

11.42

-57.97%

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

Last update for Varnamo: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $852 in Varnamo versus $978 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 209% 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 $89.0 in Varnamo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $252 – 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 43%, 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 $2,704 per month in Varnamo and $1,890 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 $1,803 in Varnamo and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 180% 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 $1,260, than in Varnamo at $1,803. 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.