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: $2,552 in Askim versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,982 in Askim versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,412 in Askim versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Askim is roughly 102% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 90% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.08 NOK 233

$11.67 MX$202

114.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,119

$41.88 MX$726

187.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.02 NOK 140

$10.40 MX$180

44.42%

Cappuccino

$5.09 NOK 47.32

$3.61 MX$62.6

41.00%

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

$4.14 NOK 38.55

$1.47 MX$25.45

181.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 NOK 31.32

$0.91 MX$15.80

270.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.11 NOK 113

$3.03 MX$52.6

299.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.35 NOK 106

$4.47 MX$77.4

153.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.26

$1.38 MX$23.83

73.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 NOK 36.94

$1.84 MX$31.93

115.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 33.76

$1.61 MX$27.82

125.47%

Eggs

$5.21 NOK 48.46

$2.57 MX$44.52

102.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.61 NOK 127

$8.49 MX$147

60.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.35 NOK 152

$8.49 MX$147

92.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.42 NOK 292

$10.99 MX$190

185.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 NOK 32.74

$2.73 MX$47.25

28.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 23.47

$1.50 MX$25.92

68.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 NOK 30.78

$1.96 MX$33.93

68.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 NOK 46.83

$2.12 MX$36.70

137.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 23.35

$1.86 MX$32.30

34.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 NOK 24.00

$2.17 MX$37.67

18.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 NOK 26.23

$1.07 MX$18.59

163.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 NOK 22.36

$1.05 MX$18.18

128.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.00 NOK 158

$4.19 MX$72.6

305.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 NOK 176

$10.28 MX$178

83.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 32.46

$1.67 MX$28.87

108.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.17

$2.49 MX$43.12

73.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 NOK 39.25

$0.54 MX$9.37

681.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 NOK 685

$26.27 MX$455

180.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 NOK 92.9

$3.10 MX$53.8

221.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.47

$2.46 MX$42.66

-41.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.73 NOK 388

$3.24 MX$56.1

1187.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 NOK 21.25

$1.26 MX$21.83

80.95%

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

$35.8K NOK 333.2K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

18.76%

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

$36.1K NOK 335.7K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

53.98%

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

$297 NOK 2,765

$84.0 MX$1,456

253.99%

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

$31.29 NOK 291

$22.21 MX$385

40.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 NOK 521

$29.65 MX$514

88.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NOK 462

$52.6 MX$912

-5.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.83 NOK 333

$18.34 MX$318

95.37%

Cinema Ticket

$15.00 NOK 140

$4.95 MX$85.7

203.03%

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

$275 NOK 2,553

$198 MX$3,438

38.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 137.0K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

176.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 946

$35.95 MX$623

183.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 NOK 605

$40.06 MX$694

62.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 NOK 1,131

$78.8 MX$1,365

54.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 NOK 1,525

$86.5 MX$1,499

89.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 NOK 11.1K

$977 MX$16.9K

22.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 NOK 8,417

$471 MX$8,158

92.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,798 NOK 16.7K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

12.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 NOK 14.5K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

27.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,987 NOK 55.7K

$4,032 MX$69.9K

48.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,471 NOK 41.6K

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-32.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,165 NOK 38.7K

$714 MX$12.4K

483.20%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,192 in Askim and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 483% 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: $120 in Askim vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $504 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 102% in total monthly costs ($2,552 vs $1,261 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Askim pays 483% 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: $1,192 in Askim versus $977 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 $120 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,552 per month in Askim versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,552 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 102% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.