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: $2,644 in Askim versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,074 in Askim versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,504 in Askim versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 97% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.27 NOK 239

$11.73 MX$205

115.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,167

$41.62 MX$727

196.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 NOK 141

$10.64 MX$186

40.41%

Cappuccino

$5.00 NOK 47.23

$3.52 MX$61.5

42.05%

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

$4.24 NOK 40.10

$1.51 MX$26.37

180.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 31.20

$0.97 MX$17.00

240.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.07 NOK 114

$2.95 MX$51.5

309.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.91 NOK 103

$4.45 MX$77.8

145.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.63

$1.38 MX$24.16

65.94%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 NOK 39.02

$1.89 MX$33.04

118.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 NOK 33.06

$1.64 MX$28.59

113.41%

Eggs

$4.94 NOK 46.73

$2.51 MX$43.76

96.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 NOK 125

$8.34 MX$146

58.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.10 NOK 152

$8.34 MX$146

93.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.60 NOK 289

$10.73 MX$187

185.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.94

$2.60 MX$45.48

33.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 25.00

$1.46 MX$25.45

80.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 NOK 31.45

$1.90 MX$33.19

75.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 NOK 46.08

$2.08 MX$36.26

134.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 NOK 23.18

$1.78 MX$31.01

37.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 NOK 25.55

$2.19 MX$38.16

23.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.30

$1.04 MX$18.16

167.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 NOK 22.03

$1.08 MX$18.80

115.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.13 NOK 162

$4.08 MX$71.3

319.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.37 NOK 183

$10.32 MX$180

87.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 31.48

$1.71 MX$29.90

94.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 NOK 41.19

$2.58 MX$44.98

68.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.36 NOK 41.25

$0.51 MX$8.90

754.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 NOK 690

$26.46 MX$462

175.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NOK 96.6

$3.26 MX$57.0

213.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.72

$2.49 MX$43.51

-41.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.74 NOK 404

$3.25 MX$56.7

1215.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.50

$1.31 MX$22.83

73.28%

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

$36.0K NOK 340.2K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

18.86%

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

$35.7K NOK 337.8K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

52.49%

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

$296 NOK 2,800

$82.9 MX$1,447

257.46%

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

$31.59 NOK 299

$22.22 MX$388

42.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 NOK 532

$29.34 MX$512

91.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.61 NOK 460

$51.6 MX$902

-5.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.49 NOK 335

$18.32 MX$320

93.72%

Cinema Ticket

$15.31 NOK 145

$5.07 MX$88.5

201.97%

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

$272 NOK 2,567

$201 MX$3,507

35.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 138.6K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

181.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 981

$36.92 MX$645

181.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.0 NOK 633

$39.79 MX$695

68.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,174

$78.5 MX$1,370

58.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 NOK 1,549

$87.1 MX$1,521

88.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 NOK 11.5K

$973 MX$17.0K

25.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 NOK 8,464

$468 MX$8,169

91.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 NOK 17.1K

$1,641 MX$28.7K

10.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,547 NOK 14.6K

$1,221 MX$21.3K

26.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,040 NOK 57.1K

$3,946 MX$68.9K

53.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,482 NOK 42.4K

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-31.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,344 NOK 41.1K

$664 MX$11.6K

554.30%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,217 in Askim and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 554% 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: $123 in Askim vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $497 vs $249 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 ($2,644 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Askim pays 554% more on average, 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: $1,217 in Askim versus $973 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 $123 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,644 per month in Askim versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,644 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.