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 $1,847 per month in Vasteras vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,840 per month in Vasteras vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,834 per month in Vasteras vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vasteras costs about 46% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Vasteras sits 35% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.33 SEK 141

$11.60 MX$200

23.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.8 SEK 658

$47.11 MX$812

41.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 SEK 100

$11.88 MX$205

-14.31%

Cappuccino

$4.37 SEK 43.09

$3.98 MX$68.6

9.80%

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

$2.30 SEK 22.63

$1.43 MX$24.60

60.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SEK 22.21

$0.82 MX$14.22

174.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 SEK 70.3

$3.19 MX$55.0

123.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 SEK 69.3

$6.79 MX$117

3.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 SEK 14.12

$1.68 MX$28.89

-14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 SEK 29.32

$2.20 MX$37.88

35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 SEK 36.93

$1.71 MX$29.45

119.30%

Eggs

$4.02 SEK 39.62

$2.74 MX$47.26

46.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 SEK 123

$9.58 MX$165

29.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.88 SEK 127

$9.01 MX$155

42.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.62 SEK 223

$12.81 MX$221

76.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 SEK 30.69

$2.89 MX$49.81

7.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 SEK 24.86

$1.50 MX$25.81

68.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 SEK 36.66

$2.15 MX$37.03

73.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 SEK 39.51

$2.26 MX$38.96

77.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.98

$1.98 MX$34.15

-23.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 17.49

$1.99 MX$34.30

-10.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 SEK 22.08

$1.23 MX$21.28

82.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SEK 14.63

$1.20 MX$20.63

24.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 SEK 72.1

$4.55 MX$78.5

60.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 SEK 122

$10.37 MX$179

19.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 SEK 13.30

$1.62 MX$27.91

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 22.10

$2.88 MX$49.67

-22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 SEK 33.97

$0.60 MX$10.35

475.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.0 SEK 729

$28.80 MX$497

156.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 SEK 34.56

$5.39 MX$92.9

-34.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.86 SEK 28.23

$3.73 MX$64.3

-23.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.0 SEK 798

$5.77 MX$99.5

1303.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 SEK 16.89

$1.54 MX$26.48

11.04%

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

$34.2K SEK 337.1K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

51.73%

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

$33.8K SEK 332.9K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

29.64%

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

$188 SEK 1,856

$91.4 MX$1,576

106.16%

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

$22.71 SEK 224

$25.20 MX$435

-9.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.10 SEK 435

$31.24 MX$539

41.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.55 SEK 341

$67.2 MX$1,159

-48.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.65 SEK 203

$29.11 MX$502

-29.06%

Cinema Ticket

$16.81 SEK 166

$4.86 MX$83.8

245.88%

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

$152 SEK 1,499

$224 MX$3,856

-31.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,101 SEK 50.3K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

20.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 1,047

$47.10 MX$812

125.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 SEK 399

$44.29 MX$764

-8.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 SEK 885

$80.1 MX$1,381

12.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 SEK 1,379

$92.7 MX$1,598

51.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 SEK 7,548

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 SEK 5,964

$390 MX$6,728

55.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 SEK 13.8K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-34.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 SEK 10.4K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-16.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,672 SEK 36.2K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-8.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,554 SEK 25.2K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-60.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,069 SEK 30.2K

$758 MX$13.1K

304.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

11.45

-69.17%

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

Last update for Vasteras: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $766 in Vasteras 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 305% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 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

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

Yes – Vasteras is pricier by about 46%, 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 $2,770 per month in Vasteras 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 $1,847 in Vasteras 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 157% 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 Vasteras at $1,847. 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.