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: $2,908 in Askim versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,386 in Askim versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,865 in Askim versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Askim is roughly 123% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 111% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.05 NOK 195

$11.96 MX$203

76.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 NOK 1,208

$47.38 MX$804

174.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.15 NOK 150

$11.75 MX$199

37.45%

Cappuccino

$5.95 NOK 55.2

$4.12 MX$70.0

44.42%

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

$4.14 NOK 38.36

$1.40 MX$23.74

195.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.19

$0.91 MX$15.48

281.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.63 NOK 108

$3.21 MX$54.4

262.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.93 NOK 120

$7.07 MX$120

82.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 NOK 23.65

$1.68 MX$28.44

51.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.27 NOK 39.57

$2.15 MX$36.48

98.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 NOK 43.62

$1.77 MX$30.10

165.54%

Eggs

$6.22 NOK 57.7

$2.82 MX$47.76

120.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 NOK 140

$9.20 MX$156

64.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.36 NOK 143

$9.23 MX$157

66.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.73 NOK 276

$12.64 MX$214

135.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.08

$2.95 MX$50.1

13.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.16

$1.58 MX$26.79

71.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 32.04

$2.22 MX$37.70

55.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 NOK 57.0

$2.36 MX$40.09

160.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 NOK 24.60

$1.99 MX$33.81

33.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 27.73

$1.98 MX$33.58

51.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.23 NOK 29.97

$1.24 MX$21.04

160.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NOK 22.68

$1.21 MX$20.55

102.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.06 NOK 177

$4.60 MX$78.1

314.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.14 NOK 159

$10.52 MX$178

62.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 NOK 33.18

$1.69 MX$28.70

111.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NOK 39.84

$2.77 MX$47.06

54.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 42.48

$0.60 MX$10.22

663.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 NOK 787

$29.70 MX$504

185.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.31 NOK 114

$5.24 MX$88.8

134.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NOK 17.62

$3.65 MX$61.9

-47.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.1 NOK 660

$5.78 MX$98.1

1130.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 21.87

$1.54 MX$26.09

53.25%

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

$49.3K NOK 457.0K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

116.04%

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

$38.8K NOK 359.6K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

50.17%

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

$426 NOK 3,954

$90.7 MX$1,538

370.11%

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

$32.58 NOK 302

$25.19 MX$427

29.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 NOK 526

$31.75 MX$539

78.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 NOK 465

$68.8 MX$1,167

-27.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.99 NOK 352

$29.37 MX$498

29.35%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 NOK 152

$4.86 MX$82.5

236.63%

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

$246 NOK 2,278

$226 MX$3,828

8.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K NOK 149.8K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

285.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 969

$47.38 MX$804

120.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 NOK 568

$43.45 MX$737

40.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 NOK 1,283

$80.2 MX$1,361

72.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,465

$91.4 MX$1,550

72.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 NOK 11.4K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

13.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 NOK 9,480

$409 MX$6,933

150.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 NOK 18.7K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

2.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 NOK 15.8K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

33.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,526 NOK 60.5K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

61.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,254 NOK 39.5K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-36.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,325 NOK 40.1K

$773 MX$13.1K

459.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

11.45

-56.68%

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

Last update for Askim: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,233 in Askim and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 459% 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: $130 in Askim vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $518 vs $278 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 123% in total monthly costs ($2,908 vs $1,305 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 459% 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: $1,233 in Askim versus $1,086 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 $47.00 versus $130 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,908 per month in Askim versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,908 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 123% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.