Cost of Living Comparison Between Haifa and Umea Cost of Living Comparison Between Haifa and Umea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,061 in Haifa versus $1,694 in Umea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,140 in Haifa versus $2,666 in Umea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,219 in Haifa versus $3,638 in Umea.

Living in Haifa is roughly 22% more expensive than Umea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Haifa 54% above, Umea 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.66 ₪61.7

$16.05 SEK 150

34.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 ₪239

$85.4 SEK 796

-1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.55 ₪44.26

$11.41 SEK 106

36.28%

Cappuccino

$4.18 ₪11.89

$4.29 SEK 40.00

-2.56%

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

$2.84 ₪8.10

$3.39 SEK 31.65

-16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ₪6.81

$2.51 SEK 23.45

-4.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.53 ₪27.14

$9.11 SEK 85.0

4.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.49 ₪24.19

$7.55 SEK 70.4

12.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₪5.98

$1.69 SEK 15.80

24.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 ₪7.41

$3.58 SEK 33.37

-27.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 ₪7.97

$4.32 SEK 40.31

-35.19%

Eggs

$4.24 ₪12.07

$4.29 SEK 40.00

-1.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.69 ₪47.54

$11.93 SEK 111

39.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.49 ₪29.87

$11.05 SEK 103

-5.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.31 ₪60.7

$18.30 SEK 171

16.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ₪9.18

$2.84 SEK 26.48

13.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ₪6.37

$2.39 SEK 22.30

-6.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₪5.53

$2.84 SEK 26.47

-31.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₪6.18

$4.44 SEK 41.41

-51.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ₪4.29

$1.68 SEK 15.65

-10.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 ₪4.49

$1.82 SEK 16.96

-13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 ₪5.44

$2.62 SEK 24.40

-27.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₪4.91

$1.48 SEK 13.78

16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.77 ₪30.67

$6.70 SEK 62.5

60.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.81 ₪47.87

$11.34 SEK 106

48.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₪8.19

$1.66 SEK 15.46

73.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₪10.43

$2.22 SEK 20.76

64.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 ₪4.76

$3.14 SEK 29.31

-46.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 ₪184

$59.1 SEK 552

9.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 ₪19.94

$5.22 SEK 48.74

34.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₪2.44

$1.60 SEK 14.97

-46.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.72 ₪93.2

$47.06 SEK 439

-30.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 ₪5.77

$1.95 SEK 18.18

4.10%

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

$45.5K ₪129.6K

$32.7K SEK 305.4K

39.08%

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

$44.5K ₪126.8K

$35.2K SEK 328.7K

26.42%

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

$237 ₪675

$67.8 SEK 632

249.76%

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

$9.66 ₪27.50

$34.49 SEK 322

-71.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.89 ₪76.6

$27.30 SEK 255

-1.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ₪187

$51.7 SEK 483

26.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.97 ₪51.2

$38.59 SEK 360

-53.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.53 ₪35.66

$15.92 SEK 149

-21.29%

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

$1,062 ₪3,023

$149 SEK 1,388

613.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,974 ₪11.3K

$4,094 SEK 38.2K

-2.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 ₪251

$99.1 SEK 925

-11.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 ₪156

$38.23 SEK 357

43.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ₪323

$126 SEK 1,171

-9.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₪309

$136 SEK 1,267

-20.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₪2,539

$793 SEK 7,395

12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 ₪2,117

$530 SEK 4,942

40.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 ₪4,195

$1,192 SEK 11.1K

23.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 ₪3,532

$895 SEK 8,347

38.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K ₪28.9K

$4,972 SEK 46.4K

103.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,499 ₪18.5K

$3,309 SEK 30.9K

96.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,652 ₪13.2K

$2,875 SEK 26.8K

61.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.35

4.53

18.10%

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

Last update for Haifa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Umea: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $892 in Haifa and $793 in Umea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Haifa pays 62% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $84.0 in Haifa vs $85.0 in Umea. Groceries flip the comparison at $381 vs $367, with Umea cheaper for home cooking.

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

Haifa vs Umea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Umea is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Haifa pays 62% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $892 in Haifa versus $793 in Umea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,061 per month in Haifa versus $1,694 in Umea – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Umea runs roughly 9% less than in Haifa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,694 in Umea versus $2,061 in Haifa, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Umea but tight or insufficient in Haifa. The gap between the two cities makes Umea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Umea is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Haifa, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Haifa and Umea are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Umea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Haifa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.