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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,989 per month in Uppsala vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,078 per month in Uppsala vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,167 per month in Uppsala vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Uppsala costs about 57% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Uppsala sits 45% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.53 SEK 153

$11.60 MX$200

33.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.1 SEK 809

$47.11 MX$812

74.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 SEK 100

$11.88 MX$205

-14.48%

Cappuccino

$4.99 SEK 49.18

$3.98 MX$68.6

25.38%

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

$3.14 SEK 30.96

$1.43 MX$24.60

119.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SEK 23.51

$0.82 MX$14.22

191.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 SEK 78.5

$3.19 MX$55.0

149.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.15 SEK 100.0

$6.79 MX$117

49.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.88

$1.68 MX$28.89

7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 SEK 29.92

$2.20 MX$37.88

38.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 SEK 40.69

$1.71 MX$29.45

141.52%

Eggs

$5.17 SEK 51.0

$2.74 MX$47.26

88.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 SEK 101

$9.58 MX$165

6.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 SEK 146

$9.01 MX$155

64.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.98 SEK 177

$12.81 MX$221

40.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 SEK 42.73

$2.89 MX$49.81

50.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 SEK 27.71

$1.50 MX$25.81

87.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 37.15

$2.15 MX$37.03

75.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 SEK 54.1

$2.26 MX$38.96

142.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 SEK 17.80

$1.98 MX$34.15

-8.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 SEK 16.84

$1.99 MX$34.30

-14.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 25.84

$1.23 MX$21.28

113.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SEK 13.00

$1.20 MX$20.63

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.98 SEK 78.7

$4.55 MX$78.5

75.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 SEK 101

$10.37 MX$179

-0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 24.75

$1.62 MX$27.91

54.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 26.23

$2.88 MX$49.67

-7.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 SEK 38.77

$0.60 MX$10.35

555.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 SEK 1,110

$28.80 MX$497

291.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 SEK 56.0

$5.39 MX$92.9

5.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SEK 12.76

$3.73 MX$64.3

-65.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.1 SEK 621

$5.77 MX$99.5

992.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.79

$1.54 MX$26.48

17.53%

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

$33.7K SEK 332.4K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

49.60%

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

$33.2K SEK 327.0K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

27.33%

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

$116 SEK 1,142

$91.4 MX$1,576

26.79%

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

$19.04 SEK 188

$25.20 MX$435

-24.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.43 SEK 438

$31.24 MX$539

42.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.93 SEK 394

$67.2 MX$1,159

-40.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.26 SEK 239

$29.11 MX$502

-16.66%

Cinema Ticket

$19.65 SEK 194

$4.86 MX$83.8

304.32%

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

$128 SEK 1,263

$224 MX$3,856

-42.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.8 SEK 914

$47.10 MX$812

96.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 SEK 498

$44.29 MX$764

14.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 SEK 951

$80.1 MX$1,381

20.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$208 SEK 2,053

$92.7 MX$1,598

124.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$906 SEK 8,928

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-14.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 SEK 7,060

$390 MX$6,728

83.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,795 SEK 17.7K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-16.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 SEK 11.4K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-8.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,446 SEK 53.7K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

36.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 SEK 25.8K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-59.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,073 SEK 30.3K

$758 MX$13.1K

305.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.94

11.45

-65.59%

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

Last update for Uppsala: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $906 in Uppsala versus $1,063 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 305% higher in Uppsala, 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 $82.0 in Uppsala versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $276 – 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

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

Yes – Uppsala is pricier by about 57%, 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 $2,984 per month in Uppsala and $1,899 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 $1,989 in Uppsala and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 291% 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 $1,266, than in Uppsala at $1,989. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uppsala 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, Uppsala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.