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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,694 per month in Umea vs $1,867 in Zakynthos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,666 per month in Umea vs $2,718 in Zakynthos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,638 per month in Umea vs $3,570 in Zakynthos, rent included.

Umea is about 9% cheaper than Zakynthos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Umea and Zakynthos sit above the global median – Umea by 26%, Zakynthos by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 150

$29.10 €25.03

-44.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 SEK 796

$58.8 €50.6

45.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 SEK 106

$11.60 €9.98

-1.64%

Cappuccino

$4.29 SEK 40.00

$4.95 €4.26

-13.33%

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

$3.39 SEK 31.65

$2.03 €1.75

67.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.45

$0.60 €0.51

318.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.11 SEK 85.0

$4.53 €3.90

101.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.55 SEK 70.4

$7.12 €6.13

6.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SEK 15.80

$2.40 €2.06

-29.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 SEK 33.37

$1.98 €1.70

80.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 SEK 40.31

$3.38 €2.91

27.81%

Eggs

$4.29 SEK 40.00

$4.80 €4.13

-10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 SEK 111

$14.81 €12.74

-19.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.05 SEK 103

$15.69 €13.50

-29.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.30 SEK 171

$12.85 €11.05

42.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 26.48

$3.02 €2.60

-5.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 SEK 22.30

$2.94 €2.53

-18.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 26.47

$1.90 €1.63

49.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 SEK 41.41

$2.18 €1.87

103.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 SEK 15.65

$1.42 €1.22

18.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 16.96

$1.96 €1.68

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 24.40

$0.83 €0.71

215.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SEK 13.78

$0.71 €0.61

108.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.70 SEK 62.5

$5.18 €4.46

29.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 SEK 106

$7.07 €6.08

60.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.46

$1.39 €1.20

19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SEK 20.76

$3.26 €2.80

-31.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 SEK 29.31

$1.76 €1.52

78.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 SEK 552

$35.24 €30.31

67.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 SEK 48.74

$3.43 €2.95

52.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 14.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.06 SEK 439

$13.76 €11.83

242.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.18

$2.22 €1.91

-12.16%

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

$32.7K SEK 305.4K

$17.6K €15.1K

86.19%

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

$35.2K SEK 328.7K

$19.9K €17.1K

77.30%

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

$67.8 SEK 632

$371 €319

-81.73%

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

$34.49 SEK 322

$43.71 €37.60

-21.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.30 SEK 255

$51.6 €44.35

-47.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 SEK 483

$29.34 €25.23

76.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.59 SEK 360

$26.63 €22.91

44.91%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 SEK 149

$12.98 €11.16

22.65%

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

$149 SEK 1,388

$433 €372

-65.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,094 SEK 38.2K

$6,010 €5,170

-31.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.1 SEK 925

$94.3 €81.1

5.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 SEK 357

$92.5 €79.6

-58.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 SEK 1,171

$127 €110

-1.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 SEK 1,267

$115 €98.9

18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$793 SEK 7,395

$413 €355

92.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$530 SEK 4,942

$399 €343

32.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 SEK 11.1K

$812 €698

46.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 SEK 8,347

$589 €507

51.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,972 SEK 46.4K

$3,069 €2,640

61.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,309 SEK 30.9K

$2,486 €2,138

33.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,875 SEK 26.8K

$1,322 €1,137

117.46%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zakynthos: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $793 in Umea versus $413 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 117% 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 $85.0 in Umea versus $59.0 in Zakynthos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $337 – 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 10%, 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 $2,541 per month in Umea and $2,800 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 $149 per month in Umea and $433 in Zakynthos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% 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 $1,694, than in Zakynthos at $1,867. 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.