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 $2,769 per month in Asker vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,059 per month in Asker vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,349 per month in Asker vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Asker costs about 114% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Asker sits 107% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.67 NOK 238

$11.73 MX$203

118.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NOK 932

$41.62 MX$720

141.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.60 NOK 126

$10.64 MX$184

27.82%

Cappuccino

$5.10 NOK 47.37

$3.52 MX$60.9

44.89%

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

$2.62 NOK 24.34

$1.51 MX$26.12

73.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 NOK 19.67

$0.97 MX$16.84

118.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.19 NOK 104

$2.95 MX$51.0

279.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.77 NOK 90.8

$4.45 MX$77.0

119.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 19.65

$1.38 MX$23.93

53.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 NOK 32.07

$1.89 MX$32.72

82.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 33.71

$1.64 MX$28.32

121.34%

Eggs

$4.22 NOK 39.19

$2.51 MX$43.34

68.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.22 NOK 104

$8.34 MX$144

34.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.99 NOK 130

$8.34 MX$144

67.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.40 NOK 292

$10.73 MX$186

192.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 NOK 35.35

$2.60 MX$45.04

46.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 24.46

$1.46 MX$25.20

80.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 NOK 31.33

$1.90 MX$32.87

77.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 NOK 39.64

$2.08 MX$35.91

105.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 NOK 22.58

$1.78 MX$30.71

36.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.12

$2.19 MX$37.80

13.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 NOK 26.74

$1.04 MX$17.99

176.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 NOK 18.33

$1.08 MX$18.62

82.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.24 NOK 132

$4.08 MX$70.6

249.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.97 NOK 176

$10.32 MX$178

83.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 NOK 31.47

$1.71 MX$29.61

98.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 NOK 39.70

$2.58 MX$44.54

65.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.29 NOK 39.82

$0.51 MX$8.81

741.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.9 NOK 714

$26.46 MX$458

190.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.04 NOK 93.3

$3.26 MX$56.4

207.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.09

$2.49 MX$43.09

-43.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.16 NOK 392

$3.25 MX$56.2

1197.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.12

$1.31 MX$22.61

73.28%

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

$36.7K NOK 340.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

21.18%

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

$43.2K NOK 401.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

84.23%

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

$221 NOK 2,055

$82.9 MX$1,433

166.97%

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

$31.02 NOK 288

$22.22 MX$384

39.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 NOK 345

$29.34 MX$507

26.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.09 NOK 456

$51.6 MX$893

-4.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.91 NOK 334

$18.32 MX$317

96.02%

Cinema Ticket

$14.68 NOK 136

$5.07 MX$87.6

189.55%

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

$274 NOK 2,542

$201 MX$3,473

36.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 136.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

182.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 NOK 955

$36.92 MX$639

178.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.74 NOK 443

$39.79 MX$688

19.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,150

$78.5 MX$1,357

57.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 NOK 1,434

$87.1 MX$1,506

77.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 NOK 14.3K

$973 MX$16.8K

58.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 NOK 11.2K

$468 MX$8,090

156.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 NOK 20.9K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

37.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,744 NOK 16.2K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

42.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K NOK 94.5K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

157.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,949 NOK 83.1K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

37.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,041 NOK 37.5K

$664 MX$11.5K

508.62%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,542 in Asker 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 509% 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 $100 in Asker versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $465 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 114% 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 $4,153 per month in Asker 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.

Kindergarten costs $274 per month in Asker and $201 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 87% 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 $1,297, than in Asker at $2,769. 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 $1,297 versus $2,769 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.