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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,972 in Uppsala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,967 in Uppsala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,962 in Uppsala, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Uppsala is 48% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$16.00 SEK 155

-25.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$68.7 SEK 665

-39.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$11.72 SEK 113

-8.28%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.89 SEK 47.37

-28.43%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.68 SEK 25.91

-45.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$2.26 SEK 21.87

-61.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$8.31 SEK 80.5

-64.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$8.53 SEK 82.6

-47.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.63 SEK 15.81

-12.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.89 SEK 27.97

-36.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$4.67 SEK 45.21

-66.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$5.19 SEK 50.2

-51.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$12.16 SEK 118

-31.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$13.90 SEK 135

-39.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$17.40 SEK 168

-38.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.89 SEK 37.69

-32.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.83 SEK 27.40

-49.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.61 SEK 34.94

-45.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$5.18 SEK 50.2

-59.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.66 SEK 16.10

11.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.86 SEK 18.01

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.70 SEK 26.17

-61.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.31 SEK 12.73

-18.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$8.15 SEK 78.9

-49.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$10.44 SEK 101

-2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.47 SEK 23.88

-31.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.63 SEK 25.50

-3.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$4.17 SEK 40.38

-87.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$108 SEK 1,050

-75.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$5.64 SEK 54.6

-42.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.20 SEK 11.60

100.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$64.2 SEK 621

-94.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.99 SEK 19.26

-33.67%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$32.1K SEK 310.4K

-7.37%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$33.9K SEK 328.1K

-30.17%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$110 SEK 1,063

-25.32%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$28.97 SEK 280

-20.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$42.96 SEK 416

-29.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$39.06 SEK 378

33.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$27.76 SEK 269

-33.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$20.37 SEK 197

-75.55%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$145 SEK 1,406

35.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,535 SEK 53.6K

-3.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$87.8 SEK 850

-59.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$41.63 SEK 403

-3.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$99.6 SEK 964

-20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$157 SEK 1,517

-43.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$928 SEK 8,982

2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$756 SEK 7,323

-37.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,500 SEK 14.5K

9.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

11.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$5,452 SEK 52.8K

-25.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,626 SEK 25.4K

146.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$3,066 SEK 29.7K

-78.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.8

137.92%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Uppsala: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $928 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 369% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.0 in Uppsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $393 – 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,958 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,972 in Uppsala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 316% 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 $1,256, than in Uppsala at $1,972. 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.