Cost of Living Comparison Between Umea and Zakynthos Cost of Living Comparison Between Umea and Zakynthos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,695 per month in Umea vs $1,905 in Zakynthos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,667 per month in Umea vs $2,786 in Zakynthos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,639 per month in Umea vs $3,668 in Zakynthos, rent included.

Umea is about 11% cheaper than Zakynthos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Umea and Zakynthos sit above the global median – Umea by 27%, Zakynthos by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 155

$28.64 €25.02

-43.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 SEK 803

$58.3 €50.9

42.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 SEK 113

$11.64 €10.17

0.95%

Cappuccino

$4.12 SEK 39.68

$4.79 €4.18

-13.99%

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

$3.39 SEK 32.70

$1.97 €1.72

72.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SEK 24.97

$0.56 €0.49

362.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.11 SEK 87.8

$4.57 €3.99

99.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 71.6

$6.83 €5.97

8.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 16.66

$2.39 €2.09

-27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 SEK 33.61

$1.98 €1.73

76.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 SEK 40.86

$3.54 €3.09

19.77%

Eggs

$4.32 SEK 41.61

$4.72 €4.12

-8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 SEK 111

$15.11 €13.21

-23.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 SEK 106

$15.86 €13.86

-30.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 SEK 178

$12.60 €11.01

46.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 27.18

$3.12 €2.73

-9.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 SEK 22.35

$2.87 €2.51

-19.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.77

$1.94 €1.69

54.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 SEK 43.21

$2.19 €1.91

104.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 SEK 16.55

$1.41 €1.24

21.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 SEK 17.74

$1.94 €1.69

-5.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 25.21

$0.83 €0.72

215.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SEK 14.43

$0.72 €0.63

108.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SEK 65.8

$5.38 €4.70

26.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 SEK 105

$7.33 €6.41

49.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.99

$1.40 €1.22

18.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 20.28

$3.10 €2.71

-32.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 SEK 29.11

$1.69 €1.48

78.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SEK 579

$34.87 €30.47

72.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 SEK 50.5

$3.41 €2.98

53.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 16.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.83 SEK 451

$13.93 €12.17

236.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.39

$2.21 €1.93

-13.57%

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

$32.2K SEK 310.7K

$17.3K €15.1K

86.12%

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

$34.9K SEK 336.4K

$19.8K €17.3K

76.04%

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

$69.4 SEK 668

$377 €329

-81.60%

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

$34.68 SEK 334

$44.05 €38.49

-21.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.86 SEK 259

$51.8 €45.24

-48.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 SEK 490

$28.69 €25.07

77.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.23 SEK 378

$26.10 €22.80

50.31%

Cinema Ticket

$16.00 SEK 154

$12.49 €10.91

28.10%

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

$147 SEK 1,417

$432 €377

-65.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,186 SEK 40.3K

$5,870 €5,129

-28.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 SEK 978

$91.5 €79.9

10.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 SEK 371

$91.3 €79.8

-57.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 SEK 1,213

$129 €113

-2.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 SEK 1,318

$113 €98.7

21.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 SEK 7,733

$401 €350

100.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 SEK 5,233

$407 €356

33.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SEK 11.4K

$799 €698

48.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 SEK 8,660

$577 €504

55.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,763 SEK 45.9K

$2,863 €2,501

66.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,146 SEK 30.3K

$2,375 €2,075

32.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,703 SEK 26.1K

$1,295 €1,131

108.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

-24.50%

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

Last update for Umea: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zakynthos: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $803 in Umea versus $401 in Zakynthos. 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 109% higher in Umea, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Umea versus $58.0 in Zakynthos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $339 – making Zakynthos 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 Zakynthos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zakynthos is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $2,858 in Zakynthos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Umea, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Umea and $432 in Zakynthos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Zakynthos – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Umea, where all-in costs run around $1,695, than in Zakynthos at $1,905. In Umea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zakynthos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umea – 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 Umea. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zakynthos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.