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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,845 per month in Asker vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,037 per month in Asker vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,229 per month in Asker vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Asker costs about 120% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Asker sits 107% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.78 NOK 202

$11.71 MX$198

85.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 NOK 586

$46.59 MX$787

35.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.60 NOK 117

$11.65 MX$197

8.15%

Cappuccino

$6.05 NOK 56.2

$4.09 MX$69.1

47.92%

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

$2.91 NOK 27.02

$1.37 MX$23.21

112.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 NOK 17.49

$0.83 MX$14.08

126.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.69 NOK 109

$3.35 MX$56.6

248.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.86 NOK 110

$6.91 MX$117

71.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 21.92

$1.73 MX$29.16

36.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 NOK 32.20

$2.26 MX$38.17

53.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 NOK 35.43

$1.77 MX$29.88

115.25%

Eggs

$3.67 NOK 34.13

$2.73 MX$46.14

34.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.78 NOK 35.17

$9.18 MX$155

-58.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 NOK 108

$8.92 MX$151

30.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 NOK 81.9

$12.60 MX$213

-30.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 32.22

$3.02 MX$51.0

14.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 NOK 25.84

$1.57 MX$26.52

77.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.17

$2.13 MX$35.89

67.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NOK 43.85

$2.26 MX$38.23

108.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.21

$2.00 MX$33.84

35.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 NOK 27.36

$2.06 MX$34.86

42.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 NOK 14.81

$1.18 MX$19.92

34.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 NOK 20.45

$1.20 MX$20.33

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.95 NOK 176

$4.63 MX$78.3

309.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.69 NOK 155

$10.69 MX$180

56.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 NOK 32.04

$1.62 MX$27.35

112.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 NOK 39.28

$2.88 MX$48.65

46.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 NOK 44.28

$0.57 MX$9.68

735.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.2 NOK 782

$29.83 MX$504

182.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.31 NOK 114

$5.45 MX$92.0

125.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 NOK 16.97

$3.70 MX$62.6

-50.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.3 NOK 654

$5.98 MX$101

1076.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.34 NOK 21.75

$1.55 MX$26.23

50.97%

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

$48.5K NOK 450.8K

$22.3K MX$377.0K

117.14%

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

$45.3K NOK 421.4K

$25.9K MX$438.2K

74.65%

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

$431 NOK 4,005

$89.1 MX$1,505

383.29%

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

$31.79 NOK 296

$25.04 MX$423

26.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.28 NOK 300

$31.50 MX$532

2.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 NOK 472

$67.8 MX$1,145

-25.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.57 NOK 349

$28.92 MX$488

29.91%

Cinema Ticket

$15.98 NOK 149

$5.05 MX$85.3

216.44%

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

$248 NOK 2,304

$225 MX$3,798

10.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K NOK 149.8K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

281.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 NOK 940

$47.44 MX$801

113.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 NOK 581

$44.98 MX$759

38.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 NOK 1,262

$82.0 MX$1,384

65.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NOK 1,483

$92.1 MX$1,555

73.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 NOK 14.2K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

43.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 NOK 11.0K

$405 MX$6,844

190.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 NOK 20.3K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

12.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 NOK 16.9K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

39.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,529 NOK 60.7K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

63.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,295 NOK 39.9K

$6,626 MX$111.9K

-35.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,963 NOK 36.8K

$749 MX$12.6K

429.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

11.45

-66.20%

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

Last update for Asker: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,532 in Asker versus $1,069 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 429% higher in Asker, 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 $63.0 in Asker versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $277 – 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

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

Asker costs about 120% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,268 per month in Asker and $1,940 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.

Kindergarten costs $248 per month in Asker and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Asker, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Asker at $2,845. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $2,845 in Asker. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Asker makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.