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 $2,710 per month in Asker vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,047 per month in Asker vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,383 per month in Asker vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Asker costs about 116% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Asker sits 103% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.03 NOK 241

$11.99 MX$210

108.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 979

$41.78 MX$731

143.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.45 NOK 130

$10.75 MX$188

25.12%

Cappuccino

$5.06 NOK 48.76

$3.50 MX$61.1

44.57%

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

$2.63 NOK 25.33

$1.45 MX$25.33

81.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NOK 21.15

$0.88 MX$15.47

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.98 NOK 106

$2.95 MX$51.6

272.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 NOK 93.2

$4.51 MX$78.9

114.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 NOK 20.25

$1.43 MX$25.04

46.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 NOK 31.57

$1.84 MX$32.13

78.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.71

$1.57 MX$27.42

129.30%

Eggs

$4.29 NOK 41.30

$2.51 MX$43.92

70.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 NOK 111

$8.28 MX$145

39.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 NOK 136

$8.43 MX$147

67.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.04 NOK 299

$10.68 MX$187

190.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 35.35

$2.61 MX$45.62

40.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 NOK 24.98

$1.44 MX$25.15

79.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 NOK 33.00

$1.96 MX$34.31

75.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 NOK 43.03

$2.09 MX$36.62

113.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 NOK 23.70

$1.85 MX$32.37

32.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.97

$2.17 MX$37.90

14.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 NOK 26.62

$1.03 MX$18.04

167.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 NOK 19.02

$1.07 MX$18.78

85.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.00 NOK 135

$4.10 MX$71.7

241.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.05 NOK 174

$10.17 MX$178

77.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 NOK 33.16

$1.68 MX$29.29

104.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 NOK 41.71

$2.53 MX$44.17

71.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.36 NOK 42.04

$0.51 MX$8.90

754.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.6 NOK 757

$26.04 MX$455

201.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.03 NOK 96.6

$3.23 MX$56.5

210.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 NOK 13.86

$2.41 MX$42.06

-40.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.38 NOK 408

$3.23 MX$56.5

1212.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 NOK 21.56

$1.32 MX$23.10

69.70%

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

$36.5K NOK 352.0K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

23.07%

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

$41.8K NOK 402.7K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

76.68%

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

$215 NOK 2,072

$82.0 MX$1,434

162.27%

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

$31.43 NOK 303

$22.95 MX$401

36.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.26 NOK 359

$30.11 MX$527

23.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 NOK 484

$52.0 MX$909

-3.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.77 NOK 345

$18.53 MX$324

93.04%

Cinema Ticket

$14.81 NOK 143

$4.98 MX$87.0

197.39%

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

$272 NOK 2,620

$197 MX$3,452

37.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 141.1K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

174.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 1,000

$35.60 MX$622

191.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.03 NOK 453

$40.33 MX$705

16.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,191

$78.8 MX$1,377

57.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,461

$88.9 MX$1,555

70.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 NOK 14.8K

$947 MX$16.6K

61.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 NOK 11.6K

$474 MX$8,288

152.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,188 NOK 21.1K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

33.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 NOK 17.0K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

45.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,406 NOK 90.6K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

131.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,932 NOK 37.9K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-39.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,720 NOK 35.8K

$654 MX$11.4K

468.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

11.42

-61.65%

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

Last update for Asker: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,532 in Asker 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 469% 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 $102 in Asker versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $463 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

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

Asker costs about 116% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,065 per month in Asker 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.

Kindergarten costs $272 per month in Asker and $197 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 86% 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 $1,256, than in Asker at $2,710. 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 $1,256 versus $2,710 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.