😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,198 in Arendal versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,317 in Arendal versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,436 in Arendal versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Arendal is roughly 71% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Arendal is 64% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Arendal
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.13NOK 169
$11.94MX$209
51.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.1NOK 719
$42.75MX$748
80.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.21NOK 142
$10.59MX$185
43.63%
Cappuccino
$5.13NOK 47.77
$3.62MX$63.4
41.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21NOK 29.92
$1.47MX$25.69
118.37%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02NOK 28.12
$0.94MX$16.51
221.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.12NOK 104
$3.09MX$54.1
259.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.96NOK 92.9
$4.46MX$78.0
123.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Arendal
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$2.38NOK 22.18
$1.43MX$24.94
66.43%
White Bread(500g)
$3.05NOK 28.46
$1.88MX$32.97
62.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.58NOK 33.38
$1.63MX$28.50
119.63%
Eggs
$4.47NOK 41.70
$2.64MX$46.26
69.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.01NOK 121
$8.21MX$144
58.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.35NOK 143
$8.29MX$145
85.16%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$27.55NOK 257
$11.10MX$194
148.20%
Apples(1kg)
$3.56NOK 33.17
$2.65MX$46.40
34.34%
Banana(1kg)
$2.53NOK 23.62
$1.50MX$26.26
68.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.96NOK 27.56
$1.99MX$34.79
48.74%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.62NOK 43.05
$2.08MX$36.33
122.12%
Potato(1kg)
$2.13NOK 19.89
$1.79MX$31.29
18.99%
Onion(1kg)
$2.95NOK 27.45
$2.18MX$38.09
35.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.50NOK 23.31
$1.08MX$18.84
131.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83NOK 17.10
$1.04MX$18.15
75.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$15.15NOK 141
$3.97MX$69.5
281.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.88NOK 167
$10.20MX$179
75.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.38NOK 31.47
$1.73MX$30.22
95.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.95NOK 36.84
$2.50MX$43.71
58.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Arendal
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.88NOK 36.17
$0.52MX$9.07
646.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$103NOK 958
$26.97MX$472
281.16%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.95NOK 74.1
$3.14MX$55.0
153.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.08NOK 19.36
$2.40MX$42.04
-13.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$30.62NOK 285
$3.09MX$54.0
890.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.05NOK 19.12
$1.27MX$22.28
61.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0KNOK 316.9K
$30.9KMX$540.4K
10.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.6KNOK 303.5K
$23.3KMX$408.0K
39.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arendal
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$190NOK 1,770
$82.0MX$1,435
131.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.04NOK 327
$22.45MX$393
56.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.4NOK 674
$29.66MX$519
144.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Arendal
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.18NOK 402
$51.9MX$908
-16.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$52.4NOK 488
$18.67MX$327
180.50%
Cinema Ticket
$11.94NOK 111
$4.97MX$87.0
140.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Arendal
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$302NOK 2,813
$198MX$3,462
52.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.3KNOK 95.8K
$5,273MX$92.3K
94.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Arendal
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.5NOK 909
$36.34MX$636
168.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.5NOK 545
$40.05MX$701
46.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104NOK 971
$79.9MX$1,398
30.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157NOK 1,462
$88.9MX$1,555
76.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Arendal
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,080NOK 10.1K
$963MX$16.9K
12.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$710NOK 6,615
$465MX$8,133
52.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,327NOK 12.4K
$1,596MX$27.9K
-16.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,127NOK 10.5K
$1,209MX$21.2K
-6.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,225NOK 30.1K
$3,942MX$69.0K
-18.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,152NOK 20.1K
$6,448MX$112.8K
-66.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Arendal
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,277NOK 39.9K
$720MX$12.6K
493.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.6
11.42
-68.48%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Arendal: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,080 in Arendal and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Arendal pays 494% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $77.0 in Arendal vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $251 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Arendal vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Arendal and Playa del Carmen?
Arendal and Playa del Carmen differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($2,198 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Arendal or Playa del Carmen?
Arendal pays 494% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Arendal and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,080 in Arendal versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Arendal and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $302 in Arendal versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Arendal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,198 in Arendal, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Arendal. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Arendal and Playa del Carmen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Arendal or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Arendal and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Arendal or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Arendal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Arendal vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado