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 $1,972 per month in Uppsala vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,967 per month in Uppsala vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,962 per month in Uppsala vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Uppsala sits 48% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.00 SEK 155

$11.99 MX$209

33.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 SEK 665

$41.78 MX$728

64.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 SEK 113

$10.75 MX$187

9.02%

Cappuccino

$4.89 SEK 47.37

$3.50 MX$60.9

39.71%

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

$2.68 SEK 25.91

$1.45 MX$25.22

84.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 SEK 21.87

$0.88 MX$15.41

156.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 SEK 80.5

$2.95 MX$51.3

181.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.53 SEK 82.6

$4.51 MX$78.6

89.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SEK 15.81

$1.43 MX$24.94

13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 SEK 27.97

$1.84 MX$31.99

57.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 SEK 45.21

$1.57 MX$27.31

197.45%

Eggs

$5.19 SEK 50.2

$2.51 MX$43.74

106.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 SEK 118

$8.28 MX$144

46.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 SEK 135

$8.43 MX$147

64.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.40 SEK 168

$10.68 MX$186

62.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 SEK 37.69

$2.61 MX$45.43

49.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 27.40

$1.44 MX$25.04

96.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.94

$1.96 MX$34.16

84.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 SEK 50.2

$2.09 MX$36.47

147.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 16.10

$1.85 MX$32.24

-10.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 18.01

$2.17 MX$37.74

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 SEK 26.17

$1.03 MX$17.96

162.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SEK 12.73

$1.07 MX$18.70

22.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.15 SEK 78.9

$4.10 MX$71.4

98.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.44 SEK 101

$10.17 MX$177

2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 23.88

$1.68 MX$29.17

47.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 SEK 25.50

$2.53 MX$43.98

3.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.17 SEK 40.38

$0.51 MX$8.87

717.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 SEK 1,050

$26.04 MX$453

316.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 SEK 54.6

$3.23 MX$56.3

74.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 SEK 11.60

$2.41 MX$41.88

-50.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 SEK 621

$3.23 MX$56.2

1887.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 19.26

$1.32 MX$23.00

50.76%

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

$32.1K SEK 310.4K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

7.96%

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

$33.9K SEK 328.1K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

43.20%

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

$110 SEK 1,063

$82.0 MX$1,428

33.91%

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

$28.97 SEK 280

$22.95 MX$400

26.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 SEK 416

$30.11 MX$524

42.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.06 SEK 378

$52.0 MX$905

-24.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.76 SEK 269

$18.53 MX$323

49.81%

Cinema Ticket

$20.37 SEK 197

$4.98 MX$86.6

309.04%

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

$145 SEK 1,406

$197 MX$3,438

-26.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,535 SEK 53.6K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

3.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 SEK 850

$35.60 MX$620

146.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.63 SEK 403

$40.33 MX$702

3.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 SEK 964

$78.8 MX$1,371

26.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,517

$88.9 MX$1,549

76.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 SEK 8,982

$947 MX$16.5K

-2.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 SEK 7,323

$474 MX$8,254

59.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 SEK 14.5K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-8.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-10.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,452 SEK 52.8K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

34.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 SEK 25.4K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-59.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,066 SEK 29.7K

$654 MX$11.4K

368.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

11.42

-57.97%

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

Last update for Uppsala: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $928 in Uppsala 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 369% 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 $69.0 in Uppsala versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 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

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 $2,958 per month in Uppsala 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 $1,972 in Uppsala 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 316% 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 Uppsala at $1,972. 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.