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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,695 per month in Umea vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,667 per month in Umea vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,639 per month in Umea vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Umea costs about 35% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Umea sits 27% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 155

$11.99 MX$210

33.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 SEK 803

$41.78 MX$731

99.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 SEK 113

$10.75 MX$188

9.30%

Cappuccino

$4.12 SEK 39.68

$3.50 MX$61.1

17.71%

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

$3.39 SEK 32.70

$1.45 MX$25.33

133.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SEK 24.97

$0.88 MX$15.47

194.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.11 SEK 87.8

$2.95 MX$51.6

208.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 71.6

$4.51 MX$78.9

64.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 16.66

$1.43 MX$25.04

20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 SEK 33.61

$1.84 MX$32.13

89.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 SEK 40.86

$1.57 MX$27.42

170.06%

Eggs

$4.32 SEK 41.61

$2.51 MX$43.92

72.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 SEK 111

$8.28 MX$145

38.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 SEK 106

$8.43 MX$147

30.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 SEK 178

$10.68 MX$187

73.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 27.18

$2.61 MX$45.62

8.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 SEK 22.35

$1.44 MX$25.15

61.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.77

$1.96 MX$34.31

52.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 SEK 43.21

$2.09 MX$36.62

114.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 SEK 16.55

$1.85 MX$32.37

-7.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 SEK 17.74

$2.17 MX$37.90

-15.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 25.21

$1.03 MX$18.04

154.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SEK 14.43

$1.07 MX$18.78

40.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SEK 65.8

$4.10 MX$71.7

66.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 SEK 105

$10.17 MX$178

7.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.99

$1.68 MX$29.29

-1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 20.28

$2.53 MX$44.17

-17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 SEK 29.11

$0.51 MX$8.90

492.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SEK 579

$26.04 MX$455

130.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 SEK 50.5

$3.23 MX$56.5

62.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 16.00

$2.41 MX$42.06

-31.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.83 SEK 451

$3.23 MX$56.5

1349.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.39

$1.32 MX$23.10

44.70%

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

$32.2K SEK 310.7K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

8.57%

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

$34.9K SEK 336.4K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

47.53%

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

$69.4 SEK 668

$82.0 MX$1,434

-15.44%

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

$34.68 SEK 334

$22.95 MX$401

51.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.86 SEK 259

$30.11 MX$527

-10.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 SEK 490

$52.0 MX$909

-2.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.23 SEK 378

$18.53 MX$324

111.71%

Cinema Ticket

$16.00 SEK 154

$4.98 MX$87.0

221.29%

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

$147 SEK 1,417

$197 MX$3,452

-25.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,186 SEK 40.3K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-21.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 SEK 978

$35.60 MX$622

185.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 SEK 371

$40.33 MX$705

-4.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 SEK 1,213

$78.8 MX$1,377

59.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 SEK 1,318

$88.9 MX$1,555

53.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 SEK 7,733

$947 MX$16.6K

-15.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 SEK 5,233

$474 MX$8,288

14.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SEK 11.4K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-28.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 SEK 8,660

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-25.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,763 SEK 45.9K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

17.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,146 SEK 30.3K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-51.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,703 SEK 26.1K

$654 MX$11.4K

313.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

11.42

-60.33%

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

Last update for Umea: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $803 in Umea versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. 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 313% higher in Umea, 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 $83.0 in Umea versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $249 – 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

Umea vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Umea is pricier by about 35%, 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 $2,542 per month in Umea and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,695 in Umea and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 131% 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 Umea at $1,695. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Umea 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, Umea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.