Umeå at a glance
- Umeå is the cheapest of Sweden's 10 priced cities: $1,279 a month in essentials, 44% below Stockholm at $2,268.
- The average net salary of $2,789 covers that 2.2×.
- 102.5 men per 100 women aged 20–39, measured at kommun level.
- PM2.5 averages 3.1 µg/m³ a year, 1× the WHO guideline of 5.
Green is the better side of each figure. Every line is computed from the tables below.
Monthly cost breakdown
Rent outside centre plus utilities, groceries, dining and local transport make up the essentials figure. Not a full lifestyle budget. The middle column is the median across the 10 Sweden cities we track, so every row says whether Umeå is the cheap side of its own market or the dear one. Green is the better side of each row.
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $1,279 | $1,477 | $198 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $537 | $692 | 1.29× as much |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $786 | $926 | $140 |
| Groceriesmonthly, one person | $204 | $212 | $8 |
| Dining outmonthly, one person | $362 | $350 | $12 |
| Utilitiesmonthly: power, water, heating, internet | $116 | $154 | 1.33× as much |
| Local transportmonthly pass or fare equivalent | $60 | $78 | 1.31× as much |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $2,789 | $3,094 | $305 |
| Rent, 3-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $881 | $1,220 | 1.38× as much |
| Rent, 3-bed city centremonthly, USD | $1,171 | $1,616 | 1.38× as much |
Single person, USD. Data updated August 6, 2026.
Everyday prices
What single items cost in Umeå, in USD. The monthly figures above are built from these. Cheaper side of each row in green.
Eating out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $15.73 | $15.34 | $0.39 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal for 2, mid-range, three courses | $83.88 | $83.88 | same |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $12.58 | $12.58 | same |
| Cappuccino, regular | $4.19 | $4.94 | $0.75 |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $8.91 | $8.21 | $0.71 |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $7.60 | $7.60 | same |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $3.36 | $3.15 | $0.21 |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $2.52 | $2.50 | $0.02 |
Groceries
| Milk, 1 L | $1.77 | $1.76 | $0.01 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread, 500 g | $3.52 | $2.98 | $0.54 |
| White rice, 1 kg | $4.19 | $3.84 | $0.35 |
| Eggs, 12 | $4.18 | $4.34 | $0.17 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $11.66 | $12.71 | $1.05 |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $11.11 | $12.46 | $1.36 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $2.62 | $3.20 | $0.58 |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $2.33 | $2.72 | $0.39 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $4.43 | $4.64 | $0.21 |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $1.68 | $1.83 | $0.15 |
| Onions, 1 kg | $1.78 | $1.75 | $0.03 |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $1.36 | $1.70 | 1.25× as much |
Transport & bills
| One-way ticket, local transport | $3.04 | $3.41 | $0.37 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly transit pass | $59.76 | $78.25 | 1.31× as much |
| Taxi start | $7.34 | $6.19 | $1.15 |
| Taxi, 1 km | $5.24 | $1.90 | 2.76× as much |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $1.79 | $1.84 | $0.05 |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $87.81 | $118.66 | 1.35× as much |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $28.29 | $39.93 | 1.41× as much |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $34.54 | $27.81 | $6.73 |
Leisure
| Gym, monthly | $51.03 | $40.61 | 1.26× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema, one seat | $17.30 | $17.04 | $0.26 |
Dating-age sex ratio
Umeå has 102.5 men per 100 women aged 20–39 (kommun level). That is the 5th-highest of 10 Sweden cities we track. Sweden's national figure is 107.2, so Umeå runs 5 below the country as a whole.
A supply figure, 20–39. The dating-pool model is in Pro.
How Umeå ranks against every city we track
Umeå sits ahead of 99% of the 898 cities we track on clean air. On salary against local costs it is ahead of 93% of 534. Its weakest measure is women aged 20–39, ahead of only 40% of 892.
Longer is better on every row: bar length is where Umeå sits among all the cities carrying that measure, which is why the count differs by row.
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Photo: Xanor, CC0.
