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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,999 in Uppsala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,014 in Uppsala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,028 in Uppsala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 35% cheaper than Uppsala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Uppsala is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$15.78 SEK 148

-25.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$69.9 SEK 656

-40.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$11.40 SEK 107

-6.67%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.00 SEK 47.00

-29.60%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$2.67 SEK 25.05

-43.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$2.19 SEK 20.56

-55.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$8.39 SEK 78.8

-64.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$8.66 SEK 81.4

-48.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.63 SEK 15.33

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.75 SEK 25.83

-31.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$4.53 SEK 42.59

-63.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$5.10 SEK 47.92

-50.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.89 SEK 112

-29.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$13.97 SEK 131

-40.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$16.80 SEK 158

-36.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.74 SEK 35.09

-30.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.79 SEK 26.21

-47.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.57 SEK 33.51

-46.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$5.18 SEK 48.69

-59.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.58 SEK 14.82

12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.79 SEK 16.81

22.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.63 SEK 24.72

-60.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.32 SEK 12.41

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$8.14 SEK 76.4

-49.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$10.81 SEK 102

-4.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.41 SEK 22.62

-29.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.57 SEK 24.13

0.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$4.01 SEK 37.63

-87.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$109 SEK 1,023

-75.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$5.69 SEK 53.4

-42.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.19 SEK 11.17

109.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$63.5 SEK 597

-94.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$2.01 SEK 18.84

-34.83%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$33.2K SEK 311.7K

-8.74%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$33.8K SEK 317.6K

-30.70%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$111 SEK 1,040

-25.18%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$29.67 SEK 279

-25.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$43.81 SEK 412

-33.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$38.15 SEK 358

35.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$28.06 SEK 264

-34.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$19.76 SEK 186

-74.34%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$149 SEK 1,400

34.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,570 SEK 52.3K

-6.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$88.7 SEK 833

-58.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$41.94 SEK 394

-5.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$98.7 SEK 927

-20.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$157 SEK 1,471

-44.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$943 SEK 8,862

3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$755 SEK 7,087

-38.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,503 SEK 14.1K

9.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,075 SEK 10.1K

13.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$5,511 SEK 51.8K

-28.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,972 SEK 27.9K

118.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,097 SEK 29.1K

-78.56%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Uppsala: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $943 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 366% 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 $70.0 in Uppsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $387 – 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 54%, 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 $2,999 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,999 in Uppsala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 312% 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 Uppsala at $1,999. 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.