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 $1,756 per month in Vasteras vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,803 per month in Vasteras vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,850 per month in Vasteras vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vasteras costs about 38% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Vasteras sits 31% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 SEK 139

$11.87 MX$204

25.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 SEK 632

$42.90 MX$736

57.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 SEK 98.0

$10.65 MX$183

-1.88%

Cappuccino

$4.64 SEK 43.48

$3.45 MX$59.2

34.49%

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

$2.69 SEK 25.24

$1.50 MX$25.81

79.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SEK 22.76

$0.95 MX$16.28

155.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 SEK 71.1

$3.03 MX$51.9

150.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 SEK 67.5

$4.61 MX$79.1

55.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.36

$1.38 MX$23.61

10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 SEK 24.73

$1.85 MX$31.70

42.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 SEK 36.93

$1.61 MX$27.65

144.72%

Eggs

$3.86 SEK 36.25

$2.59 MX$44.51

49.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.82 SEK 111

$8.26 MX$142

43.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.52 SEK 117

$8.37 MX$144

49.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 SEK 146

$10.66 MX$183

46.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 SEK 30.02

$2.63 MX$45.12

21.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 SEK 25.03

$1.49 MX$25.53

79.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 SEK 32.12

$1.92 MX$32.94

78.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 SEK 33.64

$2.09 MX$35.81

71.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.46

$1.86 MX$31.88

-17.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 SEK 18.08

$2.26 MX$38.81

-14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 SEK 26.05

$1.06 MX$18.23

162.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SEK 16.16

$1.09 MX$18.67

57.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.36 SEK 69.0

$4.15 MX$71.2

77.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 SEK 133

$10.39 MX$178

36.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 SEK 13.16

$1.72 MX$29.59

-18.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SEK 17.89

$2.61 MX$44.85

-26.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 31.30

$0.54 MX$9.30

518.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.0 SEK 694

$26.94 MX$462

174.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 SEK 33.88

$3.13 MX$53.7

15.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 SEK 15.08

$2.51 MX$43.09

-35.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.1 SEK 780

$3.15 MX$54.1

2539.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.03

$1.27 MX$21.88

51.18%

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

$32.0K SEK 300.2K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

5.37%

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

$33.7K SEK 315.9K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

42.90%

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

$89.5 SEK 839

$83.0 MX$1,425

7.77%

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

$28.80 SEK 270

$22.71 MX$390

26.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.01 SEK 347

$29.46 MX$506

25.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 SEK 351

$51.0 MX$875

-26.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.96 SEK 197

$18.33 MX$315

14.35%

Cinema Ticket

$19.15 SEK 180

$4.93 MX$84.5

288.44%

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

$159 SEK 1,489

$197 MX$3,386

-19.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,190 SEK 48.7K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-1.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.5 SEK 906

$36.90 MX$633

161.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 SEK 389

$39.89 MX$685

4.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 SEK 871

$80.0 MX$1,373

16.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 SEK 1,168

$89.5 MX$1,536

39.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 SEK 7,800

$956 MX$16.4K

-13.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 SEK 5,700

$477 MX$8,189

27.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 SEK 13.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-10.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 SEK 10.9K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-4.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,807 SEK 35.7K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-2.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,599 SEK 24.4K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-59.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,142 SEK 29.5K

$667 MX$11.4K

371.03%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Vasteras versus $956 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 371% 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 $67.0 in Vasteras versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $250 – 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 38%, 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 $2,633 per month in Vasteras and $1,906 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 $1,756 in Vasteras and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 175% 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 $1,271, than in Vasteras at $1,756. 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.