Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Uppsala

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,081 in Uppsala, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Uppsala, Sweden
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Uppsala
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,081
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Uppsala

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Uppsala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,081 in Uppsala, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Uppsala $2,081

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,256 in Uppsala, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Uppsala $3,256

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,431 in Uppsala, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Uppsala $4,431

Playa del Carmen is about 42% cheaper than Uppsala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Uppsala is 53% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Uppsala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$14.88 SEK 146
-26.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$79.0 SEK 775
-45.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$10.11 SEK 99.2
16.52%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$4.83 SEK 47.40
-21.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$2.99 SEK 29.38
-57.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$2.45 SEK 24.01
-68.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$8.12 SEK 79.7
-60.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$10.25 SEK 101
-51.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Uppsala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$1.81 SEK 17.74
-22.10%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$2.86 SEK 28.10
-22.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$4.76 SEK 46.67
-70.17%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$4.90 SEK 48.09
-48.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$9.96 SEK 97.7
-27.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$14.63 SEK 144
-47.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$17.91 SEK 176
-29.15%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$4.05 SEK 39.74
-31.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$2.75 SEK 26.95
-50.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$3.63 SEK 35.62
-29.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$5.30 SEK 52.0
-60.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$1.90 SEK 18.64
2.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$1.67 SEK 16.39
13.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$2.58 SEK 25.34
-55.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$1.33 SEK 13.04
-11.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$7.84 SEK 76.9
-45.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$10.17 SEK 99.8
-2.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$2.41 SEK 23.62
-34.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$2.61 SEK 25.60
2.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Uppsala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
$4.04 SEK 39.69
-86.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$112 SEK 1,101
-76.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$5.44 SEK 53.4
-8.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$1.33 SEK 13.04
150.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$62.8 SEK 616
-91.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$1.80 SEK 17.67
-20.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$32.6K SEK 319.5K
-36.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$33.5K SEK 329.0K
-30.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Uppsala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$110 SEK 1,078
-22.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$16.28 SEK 160
43.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$48.41 SEK 475
-40.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Uppsala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
$41.35 SEK 406
37.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$23.71 SEK 233
21.93%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$17.96 SEK 176
-71.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Uppsala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$126 SEK 1,232
64.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Uppsala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$107 SEK 1,054
-59.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$48.84 SEK 479
-15.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$96.6 SEK 948
-23.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$205 SEK 2,008
-56.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Uppsala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$1,026 SEK 10.1K
-4.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
$800 SEK 7,855
-52.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$1,590 SEK 15.6K
7.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$1,435 SEK 14.1K
-25.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
$5,234 SEK 51.4K
-24.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
$2,915 SEK 28.6K
111.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Uppsala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$3,421 SEK 33.6K
-78.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.09
179.95%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Uppsala: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Uppsala
$800 110% $420
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Uppsala
$393 54.2% $138
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Uppsala
$290 43.4% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Uppsala
$175 27.5% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Uppsala
$206 84.3% $94
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Uppsala
$77 14.8% $10
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Uppsala
$140 178% $90

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,026 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 in Uppsala are about 4.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $79 in Uppsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $393 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇸🇪 Uppsala
🕒 Local time
12:49 12:49 PM
18:49 6:49 PM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
166,698
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.81 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Uppsala 8,820 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Uppsala

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Uppsala?
Yes – Uppsala is pricier by about 73%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,122 in Uppsala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Uppsala?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $1,026 in Uppsala. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Uppsala?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $2,081 in Uppsala. That makes Playa del Carmen about 42% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 76% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Uppsala?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Uppsala at $2,081. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uppsala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,204 versus $2,081 in Uppsala. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Uppsala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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