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 $1,999 per month in Uppsala vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,014 per month in Uppsala vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,028 per month in Uppsala vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Uppsala costs about 54% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Uppsala sits 49% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 SEK 148

$11.73 MX$203

34.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 SEK 656

$41.62 MX$721

67.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.40 SEK 107

$10.64 MX$184

7.14%

Cappuccino

$5.00 SEK 47.00

$3.52 MX$61.0

42.05%

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

$2.67 SEK 25.05

$1.51 MX$26.17

76.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 20.56

$0.97 MX$16.87

125.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.39 SEK 78.8

$2.95 MX$51.1

184.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.66 SEK 81.4

$4.45 MX$77.2

94.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SEK 15.33

$1.38 MX$23.97

18.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 SEK 25.83

$1.89 MX$32.78

45.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 SEK 42.59

$1.64 MX$28.37

176.22%

Eggs

$5.10 SEK 47.92

$2.51 MX$43.42

103.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 112

$8.34 MX$145

42.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 SEK 131

$8.34 MX$145

67.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.80 SEK 158

$10.73 MX$186

56.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 35.09

$2.60 MX$45.12

43.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 26.21

$1.46 MX$25.25

91.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 SEK 33.51

$1.90 MX$32.94

87.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 SEK 48.69

$2.08 MX$35.98

149.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.82

$1.78 MX$30.77

-11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 16.81

$2.19 MX$37.87

-18.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.72

$1.04 MX$18.02

152.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SEK 12.41

$1.08 MX$18.66

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.14 SEK 76.4

$4.08 MX$70.7

99.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 SEK 102

$10.32 MX$179

4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.62

$1.71 MX$29.67

40.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 SEK 24.13

$2.58 MX$44.63

-0.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 SEK 37.63

$0.51 MX$8.83

686.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 SEK 1,023

$26.46 MX$459

311.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 SEK 53.4

$3.26 MX$56.5

74.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 SEK 11.17

$2.49 MX$43.17

-52.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.5 SEK 597

$3.25 MX$56.3

1854.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 18.84

$1.31 MX$22.65

53.44%

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

$33.2K SEK 311.7K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

9.58%

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

$33.8K SEK 317.6K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

44.31%

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

$111 SEK 1,040

$82.9 MX$1,436

33.66%

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

$29.67 SEK 279

$22.22 MX$385

33.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.81 SEK 412

$29.34 MX$508

49.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.15 SEK 358

$51.6 MX$895

-26.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.06 SEK 264

$18.32 MX$317

53.17%

Cinema Ticket

$19.76 SEK 186

$5.07 MX$87.8

289.74%

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

$149 SEK 1,400

$201 MX$3,480

-25.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,570 SEK 52.3K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

6.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.7 SEK 833

$36.92 MX$640

140.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.94 SEK 394

$39.79 MX$689

5.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SEK 927

$78.5 MX$1,360

25.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,471

$87.1 MX$1,509

79.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 SEK 8,862

$973 MX$16.9K

-2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 SEK 7,087

$468 MX$8,105

61.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 SEK 14.1K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-8.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 SEK 10.1K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-11.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,511 SEK 51.8K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

39.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,972 SEK 27.9K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-54.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,097 SEK 29.1K

$664 MX$11.5K

366.41%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $943 in Uppsala 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 366% 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 $70.0 in Uppsala versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 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 54%, 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 $2,999 per month in Uppsala 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 $1,999 in Uppsala 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 312% 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 Uppsala at $1,999. 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.