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 $1,694 per month in Umea vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,666 per month in Umea vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,638 per month in Umea vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Umea costs about 31% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Umea sits 26% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 150

$11.73 MX$203

36.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 SEK 796

$41.62 MX$720

105.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 SEK 106

$10.64 MX$184

7.24%

Cappuccino

$4.29 SEK 40.00

$3.52 MX$60.9

21.88%

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

$3.39 SEK 31.65

$1.51 MX$26.12

124.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.45

$0.97 MX$16.84

158.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.11 SEK 85.0

$2.95 MX$51.0

208.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.55 SEK 70.4

$4.45 MX$77.0

69.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SEK 15.80

$1.38 MX$23.93

22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 SEK 33.37

$1.89 MX$32.72

89.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 SEK 40.31

$1.64 MX$28.32

163.41%

Eggs

$4.29 SEK 40.00

$2.51 MX$43.34

70.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 SEK 111

$8.34 MX$144

43.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.05 SEK 103

$8.34 MX$144

32.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.30 SEK 171

$10.73 MX$186

70.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 26.48

$2.60 MX$45.04

9.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 SEK 22.30

$1.46 MX$25.20

63.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 26.47

$1.90 MX$32.87

49.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 SEK 41.41

$2.08 MX$35.91

113.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 SEK 15.65

$1.78 MX$30.71

-5.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 16.96

$2.19 MX$37.80

-16.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 24.40

$1.04 MX$17.99

151.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SEK 13.78

$1.08 MX$18.62

37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.70 SEK 62.5

$4.08 MX$70.6

64.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 SEK 106

$10.32 MX$178

9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.46

$1.71 MX$29.61

-2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SEK 20.76

$2.58 MX$44.54

-13.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 SEK 29.31

$0.51 MX$8.81

515.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 SEK 552

$26.46 MX$458

123.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 SEK 48.74

$3.26 MX$56.4

60.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 14.97

$2.49 MX$43.09

-35.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.06 SEK 439

$3.25 MX$56.2

1348.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.18

$1.31 MX$22.61

48.85%

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

$32.7K SEK 305.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

8.09%

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

$35.2K SEK 328.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

50.35%

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

$67.8 SEK 632

$82.9 MX$1,433

-18.21%

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

$34.49 SEK 322

$22.22 MX$384

55.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.30 SEK 255

$29.34 MX$507

-6.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 SEK 483

$51.6 MX$893

0.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.59 SEK 360

$18.32 MX$317

110.64%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 SEK 149

$5.07 MX$87.6

214.00%

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

$149 SEK 1,388

$201 MX$3,473

-25.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,094 SEK 38.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-21.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.1 SEK 925

$36.92 MX$639

168.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 SEK 357

$39.79 MX$688

-3.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 SEK 1,171

$78.5 MX$1,357

60.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 SEK 1,267

$87.1 MX$1,506

55.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$793 SEK 7,395

$973 MX$16.8K

-18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$530 SEK 4,942

$468 MX$8,090

13.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 SEK 11.1K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-27.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 SEK 8,347

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-26.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,972 SEK 46.4K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

26.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,309 SEK 30.9K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-49.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,875 SEK 26.8K

$664 MX$11.5K

333.08%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $793 in Umea versus $973 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 333% 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 $85.0 in Umea versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 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 31%, 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 $2,541 per month in Umea and $1,945 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 $1,694 in Umea and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 123% 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 Umea at $1,694. 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.