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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,694 in Umea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,666 in Umea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,638 in Umea, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 23% cheaper than Umea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Umea is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$16.05 SEK 150

-26.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$85.4 SEK 796

-51.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$11.41 SEK 106

-6.75%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.29 SEK 40.00

-17.95%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$3.39 SEK 31.65

-55.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.51 SEK 23.45

-61.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$9.11 SEK 85.0

-67.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$7.55 SEK 70.4

-41.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.69 SEK 15.80

-18.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.58 SEK 33.37

-47.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$4.32 SEK 40.31

-62.04%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.29 SEK 40.00

-41.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.93 SEK 111

-30.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.05 SEK 103

-24.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$18.30 SEK 171

-41.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.84 SEK 26.48

-8.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.39 SEK 22.30

-38.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.84 SEK 26.47

-33.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.44 SEK 41.41

-53.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.68 SEK 15.65

5.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.82 SEK 16.96

20.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.62 SEK 24.40

-60.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.48 SEK 13.78

-27.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$6.70 SEK 62.5

-39.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$11.34 SEK 106

-8.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.66 SEK 15.46

3.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.22 SEK 20.76

16.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.14 SEK 29.31

-83.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$59.1 SEK 552

-55.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$5.22 SEK 48.74

-37.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.60 SEK 14.97

55.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$47.06 SEK 439

-93.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.95 SEK 18.18

-32.82%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$32.7K SEK 305.4K

-7.48%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$35.2K SEK 328.7K

-33.49%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$67.8 SEK 632

22.26%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$34.49 SEK 322

-35.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.30 SEK 255

7.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$51.7 SEK 483

-0.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$38.59 SEK 360

-52.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$15.92 SEK 149

-68.15%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$149 SEK 1,388

34.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,094 SEK 38.2K

27.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$99.1 SEK 925

-62.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$38.23 SEK 357

4.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$126 SEK 1,171

-37.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$136 SEK 1,267

-35.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$793 SEK 7,395

22.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$530 SEK 4,942

-11.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,192 SEK 11.1K

37.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$895 SEK 8,347

36.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$4,972 SEK 46.4K

-20.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$3,309 SEK 30.9K

96.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,875 SEK 26.8K

-76.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.53

152.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Umea: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $793 in Umea. 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 333% higher in Umea, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $85.0 in Umea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $367 – 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

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

Yes – Umea is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,541 in Umea. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,694 in Umea. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 123% 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 Umea at $1,694. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Umea 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, Umea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.