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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,989 in Uppsala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,078 in Uppsala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,167 in Uppsala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 36% cheaper than Uppsala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Uppsala is 45% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$15.53 SEK 153

-25.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$82.1 SEK 809

-42.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.16 SEK 100

16.93%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.99 SEK 49.18

-20.24%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$3.14 SEK 30.96

-54.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.39 SEK 23.51

-65.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$7.97 SEK 78.5

-59.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$10.15 SEK 100.0

-33.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.81 SEK 17.88

-7.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.04 SEK 29.92

-27.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$4.13 SEK 40.69

-58.60%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$5.17 SEK 51.0

-47.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.21 SEK 101

-6.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$14.82 SEK 146

-39.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$17.98 SEK 177

-28.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$4.34 SEK 42.73

-33.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.81 SEK 27.71

-46.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.77 SEK 37.15

-42.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$5.49 SEK 54.1

-58.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.81 SEK 17.80

9.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.71 SEK 16.84

16.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.62 SEK 25.84

-53.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.32 SEK 13.00

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$7.98 SEK 78.7

-42.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.27 SEK 101

0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.51 SEK 24.75

-35.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.66 SEK 26.23

8.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$3.93 SEK 38.77

-84.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$113 SEK 1,110

-74.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.69 SEK 56.0

-5.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.30 SEK 12.76

186.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$63.1 SEK 621

-90.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.81 SEK 17.79

-14.92%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$33.7K SEK 332.4K

-33.15%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$33.2K SEK 327.0K

-21.47%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$116 SEK 1,142

-21.13%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$19.04 SEK 188

32.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$44.43 SEK 438

-29.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$39.93 SEK 394

68.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$24.26 SEK 239

19.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$19.65 SEK 194

-75.27%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$128 SEK 1,263

74.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$92.8 SEK 914

-49.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$50.5 SEK 498

-12.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$96.5 SEK 951

-17.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$208 SEK 2,053

-55.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$906 SEK 8,928

17.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$716 SEK 7,060

-45.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,795 SEK 17.7K

19.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,160 SEK 11.4K

9.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$5,446 SEK 53.7K

-26.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,613 SEK 25.8K

148.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,073 SEK 30.3K

-75.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.94

190.61%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Uppsala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $906 in Uppsala. 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 Uppsala, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $82.0 in Uppsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $399 – 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 Uppsala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Uppsala is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,984 in Uppsala. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,989 in Uppsala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 291% 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 Uppsala at $1,989. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uppsala 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, Uppsala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.