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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,764 per month in Vaxjo vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,643 per month in Vaxjo vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,523 per month in Vaxjo vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vaxjo costs about 36% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Vaxjo sits 32% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.51 SEK 117

$11.73 MX$203

6.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 SEK 652

$41.62 MX$720

67.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 SEK 97.5

$10.64 MX$184

-1.88%

Cappuccino

$4.13 SEK 38.51

$3.52 MX$60.9

17.33%

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

$1.24 SEK 11.60

$1.51 MX$26.12

-17.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 SEK 12.21

$0.97 MX$16.84

35.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.49 SEK 69.9

$2.95 MX$51.0

153.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 SEK 63.6

$4.45 MX$77.0

53.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 16.78

$1.38 MX$23.93

30.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 SEK 21.67

$1.89 MX$32.72

22.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 SEK 36.76

$1.64 MX$28.32

140.24%

Eggs

$3.92 SEK 36.62

$2.51 MX$43.34

56.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.79 SEK 129

$8.34 MX$144

65.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 106

$8.34 MX$144

36.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.72 SEK 128

$10.73 MX$186

27.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 SEK 34.46

$2.60 MX$45.04

41.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.11

$1.46 MX$25.20

84.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 14.58

$1.90 MX$32.87

-17.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 SEK 42.99

$2.08 MX$35.91

121.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.48

$1.78 MX$30.71

-12.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 SEK 18.81

$2.19 MX$37.80

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 SEK 25.74

$1.04 MX$17.99

165.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SEK 15.22

$1.08 MX$18.62

50.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SEK 66.5

$4.08 MX$70.6

74.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.04 SEK 93.7

$10.32 MX$178

-2.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SEK 16.61

$1.71 MX$29.61

4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 17.62

$2.58 MX$44.54

-26.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 SEK 28.25

$0.51 MX$8.81

494.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.6 SEK 631

$26.46 MX$458

155.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.54 SEK 98.3

$3.26 MX$56.4

223.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SEK 15.36

$2.49 MX$43.09

-33.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.48 SEK 200

$3.25 MX$56.2

560.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 SEK 18.46

$1.31 MX$22.61

51.15%

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

$32.4K SEK 302.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

6.88%

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

$32.2K SEK 300.2K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

37.33%

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

$88.6 SEK 826

$82.9 MX$1,433

6.85%

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

$27.95 SEK 261

$22.22 MX$384

25.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.23 SEK 301

$29.34 MX$507

9.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.87 SEK 363

$51.6 MX$893

-24.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.74 SEK 240

$18.32 MX$317

40.50%

Cinema Ticket

$16.62 SEK 155

$5.07 MX$87.6

227.81%

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

$147 SEK 1,371

$201 MX$3,473

-26.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$752 SEK 7,020

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-85.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 SEK 993

$36.92 MX$639

188.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.54 SEK 248

$39.79 MX$688

-33.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 SEK 947

$78.5 MX$1,357

29.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 SEK 1,330

$87.1 MX$1,506

63.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 SEK 7,889

$973 MX$16.8K

-13.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 SEK 6,324

$468 MX$8,090

44.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 SEK 14.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-4.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 SEK 9,234

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-18.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,620 SEK 24.4K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-59.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,306 SEK 30.8K

$664 MX$11.5K

397.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

11.42

-60.33%

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

Last update for Vaxjo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $845 in Vaxjo versus $973 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 398% higher in Vaxjo, 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 $70.0 in Vaxjo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Vaxjo is pricier by about 36%, 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 $2,646 per month in Vaxjo and $1,945 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 $1,764 in Vaxjo and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 156% 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 $1,297, than in Vaxjo at $1,764. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vaxjo 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, Vaxjo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.