Cost of Living Comparison Between Umea and Haifa Cost of Living Comparison Between Umea and Haifa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,695 in Umea versus $2,083 in Haifa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,667 in Umea versus $3,175 in Haifa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,639 in Umea versus $4,266 in Haifa.

Living in Umea costs roughly 19% less than in Haifa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Umea 27% above, Haifa 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 155

$22.20 ₪67.5

-27.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 SEK 803

$85.7 ₪260

-2.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 SEK 113

$15.69 ₪47.69

-25.11%

Cappuccino

$4.12 SEK 39.71

$4.12 ₪12.51

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

$3.39 SEK 32.73

$2.88 ₪8.76

17.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SEK 24.99

$2.43 ₪7.38

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.11 SEK 87.9

$9.36 ₪28.45

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 71.6

$8.49 ₪25.80

-12.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 16.68

$2.08 ₪6.33

-16.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 SEK 33.64

$2.63 ₪8.00

32.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 SEK 40.90

$2.94 ₪8.94

44.22%

Eggs

$4.32 SEK 41.65

$4.05 ₪12.32

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 SEK 111

$16.90 ₪51.4

-31.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 SEK 106

$10.55 ₪32.05

4.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 SEK 178

$21.34 ₪64.9

-13.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 27.21

$3.13 ₪9.50

-9.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 SEK 22.37

$2.35 ₪7.14

-1.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.80

$1.90 ₪5.77

57.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 SEK 43.25

$2.17 ₪6.59

106.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 SEK 16.57

$1.45 ₪4.40

18.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 SEK 17.75

$1.53 ₪4.64

20.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 25.24

$1.99 ₪6.05

31.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SEK 14.44

$1.66 ₪5.05

-9.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SEK 65.9

$10.61 ₪32.24

-35.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 SEK 105

$15.42 ₪46.84

-29.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 16.00

$2.94 ₪8.93

-43.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 20.30

$3.66 ₪11.11

-42.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 SEK 29.14

$1.71 ₪5.18

76.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SEK 579

$63.3 ₪192

-5.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 SEK 50.6

$7.05 ₪21.44

-25.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 16.01

$0.87 ₪2.65

90.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.83 SEK 452

$32.89 ₪100.0

42.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.41

$1.98 ₪6.02

-3.54%

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

$32.2K SEK 311.0K

$45.5K ₪138.3K

-29.15%

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

$34.9K SEK 336.7K

$43.7K ₪132.9K

-20.16%

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

$69.4 SEK 669

$242 ₪736

-71.38%

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

$34.68 SEK 335

$10.14 ₪30.82

242.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.86 SEK 259

$27.76 ₪84.4

-3.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 SEK 490

$65.2 ₪198

-21.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.23 SEK 378

$18.06 ₪54.9

117.22%

Cinema Ticket

$16.00 SEK 154

$12.60 ₪38.28

26.98%

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

$147 SEK 1,419

$1,045 ₪3,175

-85.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,186 SEK 40.4K

$3,999 ₪12.2K

4.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 SEK 979

$87.3 ₪265

16.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 SEK 372

$53.9 ₪164

-28.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 SEK 1,215

$113 ₪342

11.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 SEK 1,319

$108 ₪327

27.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 SEK 7,740

$886 ₪2,691

-9.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 SEK 5,238

$751 ₪2,283

-27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SEK 11.4K

$1,464 ₪4,447

-19.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 SEK 8,668

$1,213 ₪3,686

-25.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,763 SEK 45.9K

$9,693 ₪29.5K

-50.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,146 SEK 30.3K

$6,174 ₪18.8K

-49.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,703 SEK 26.1K

$4,458 ₪13.5K

-39.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

5.35

-15.33%

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

Last update for Umea: July 12, 2026

Last update for Haifa: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $803 in Umea and $886 in Haifa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Haifa pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $83.0 in Umea vs $86.0 in Haifa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $379 per month, with Umea cheaper across the board.

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

Umea vs Haifa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Umea is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Haifa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $803 in Umea versus $886 in Haifa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,695 per month in Umea versus $2,083 in Haifa – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Umea runs roughly 5% less than in Haifa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,695 in Umea versus $2,083 in Haifa, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Umea but tight or insufficient in Haifa. The gap between the two cities makes Umea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Umea is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Haifa, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Umea and Haifa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Umea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Haifa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.