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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,726 per month in Vasteras vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,721 per month in Vasteras vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,716 per month in Vasteras vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vasteras costs about 37% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Vasteras sits 30% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.54 SEK 138

$11.72 MX$203

24.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 SEK 647

$41.89 MX$725

62.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 SEK 99.5

$10.51 MX$182

-0.38%

Cappuccino

$4.48 SEK 42.53

$3.59 MX$62.0

24.79%

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

$2.69 SEK 25.52

$1.51 MX$26.10

78.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SEK 23.97

$0.92 MX$15.83

173.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.42 SEK 70.5

$2.96 MX$51.2

150.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 SEK 68.9

$4.41 MX$76.3

64.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.56

$1.40 MX$24.16

9.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 SEK 25.89

$1.88 MX$32.60

45.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 SEK 35.43

$1.56 MX$26.97

139.10%

Eggs

$4.05 SEK 38.49

$2.61 MX$45.14

55.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 SEK 114

$8.32 MX$144

44.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.29 SEK 117

$8.35 MX$145

47.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 SEK 148

$10.86 MX$188

43.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 SEK 31.53

$2.71 MX$46.93

22.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 SEK 25.02

$1.51 MX$26.04

74.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.28

$1.87 MX$32.41

93.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 36.00

$2.19 MX$37.89

73.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 SEK 14.29

$1.86 MX$32.14

-19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 SEK 19.09

$2.23 MX$38.59

-9.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 SEK 25.45

$1.07 MX$18.48

150.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SEK 16.70

$1.09 MX$18.79

61.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.18 SEK 68.2

$4.19 MX$72.4

71.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 SEK 119

$10.43 MX$180

20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SEK 13.82

$1.66 MX$28.68

-12.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 18.86

$2.61 MX$45.19

-24.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 32.40

$0.54 MX$9.37

531.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 SEK 700

$26.16 MX$453

181.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 SEK 35.92

$3.08 MX$53.3

22.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.10

$2.40 MX$41.61

-33.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.8 SEK 806

$3.13 MX$54.1

2609.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.86

$1.31 MX$22.69

51.91%

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

$32.2K SEK 306.1K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

8.10%

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

$34.8K SEK 330.2K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

49.03%

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

$88.2 SEK 838

$81.3 MX$1,406

8.55%

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

$28.82 SEK 274

$22.56 MX$390

27.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.67 SEK 348

$30.05 MX$520

22.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.42 SEK 356

$52.9 MX$915

-29.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.43 SEK 204

$18.39 MX$318

16.53%

Cinema Ticket

$19.82 SEK 188

$4.92 MX$85.1

302.85%

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

$160 SEK 1,520

$201 MX$3,474

-20.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,216 SEK 49.6K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

0.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.9 SEK 911

$35.92 MX$622

167.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.87 SEK 407

$40.13 MX$694

6.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 SEK 877

$79.7 MX$1,379

15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 SEK 1,183

$86.5 MX$1,496

44.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 SEK 7,971

$978 MX$16.9K

-14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 SEK 5,673

$470 MX$8,140

26.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 SEK 14.1K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-10.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 SEK 10.8K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-5.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 SEK 35.6K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-5.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,543 SEK 24.2K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-61.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,080 SEK 29.3K

$677 MX$11.7K

355.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

11.42

-57.36%

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

Last update for Vasteras: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $839 in Vasteras 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 355% higher in Vasteras, 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 $68.0 in Vasteras versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 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

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

Yes – Vasteras is pricier by about 37%, 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 $2,588 per month in Vasteras 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 $1,726 in Vasteras 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 182% 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 Vasteras at $1,726. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vasteras 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, Vasteras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.