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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,569 in Askim versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,990 in Askim versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,410 in Askim versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Askim is roughly 104% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 92% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 NOK 243

$11.95 MX$208

111.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 NOK 1,170

$41.94 MX$730

190.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 NOK 145

$10.42 MX$181

44.63%

Cappuccino

$4.92 NOK 47.21

$3.51 MX$61.2

40.17%

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

$4.06 NOK 38.90

$1.52 MX$26.39

167.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 NOK 31.85

$0.91 MX$15.84

264.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.13 NOK 116

$3.04 MX$52.9

299.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.21 NOK 108

$4.37 MX$76.1

156.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 NOK 22.77

$1.42 MX$24.73

66.90%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 NOK 39.62

$1.83 MX$31.87

125.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.48

$1.63 MX$28.45

120.86%

Eggs

$5.04 NOK 48.35

$2.54 MX$44.20

98.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 NOK 126

$8.57 MX$149

53.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.34 NOK 157

$8.49 MX$148

92.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.44 NOK 302

$10.80 MX$188

191.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 33.08

$2.75 MX$47.94

25.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 24.47

$1.44 MX$25.00

77.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 NOK 32.27

$1.89 MX$32.83

78.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 NOK 49.35

$2.17 MX$37.77

137.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 NOK 23.41

$1.78 MX$30.97

37.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.20

$2.22 MX$38.71

18.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 NOK 27.22

$1.07 MX$18.60

165.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NOK 22.23

$1.08 MX$18.79

114.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.34 NOK 166

$4.15 MX$72.2

317.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.73 NOK 180

$10.45 MX$182

79.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 NOK 33.86

$1.74 MX$30.34

102.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 NOK 40.17

$2.58 MX$44.92

62.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 NOK 40.46

$0.51 MX$8.94

727.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 NOK 699

$25.94 MX$451

180.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NOK 99.0

$3.21 MX$55.9

221.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 NOK 13.34

$2.50 MX$43.55

-44.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.16 NOK 404

$3.19 MX$55.4

1221.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.80

$1.26 MX$21.87

80.16%

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

$35.7K NOK 342.8K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

20.40%

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

$35.9K NOK 344.1K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

51.50%

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

$300 NOK 2,875

$82.0 MX$1,427

265.48%

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

$30.99 NOK 297

$22.73 MX$395

36.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 NOK 540

$29.42 MX$512

91.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.39 NOK 474

$52.2 MX$908

-5.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.48 NOK 340

$18.45 MX$321

92.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 NOK 145

$4.93 MX$85.9

206.29%

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

$271 NOK 2,599

$202 MX$3,511

34.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K NOK 140.2K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

180.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 1,002

$35.93 MX$625

190.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.2 NOK 625

$40.33 MX$702

61.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 NOK 1,184

$79.9 MX$1,390

54.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 NOK 1,581

$89.3 MX$1,554

84.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 NOK 11.8K

$948 MX$16.5K

29.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 NOK 8,645

$465 MX$8,097

93.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 NOK 17.7K

$1,630 MX$28.4K

13.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 NOK 14.7K

$1,193 MX$20.8K

28.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,887 NOK 56.5K

$3,933 MX$68.4K

49.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,936 NOK 37.8K

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-38.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,146 NOK 39.8K

$658 MX$11.5K

529.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

11.42

-55.52%

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

Last update for Askim: July 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,228 in Askim and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 530% 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: $122 in Askim vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $502 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Askim and Playa del Carmen differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($2,569 vs $1,259 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 530% higher in Askim, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,228 in Askim versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $122 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,569 per month in Askim versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,569 in Askim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Askim. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Askim 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.