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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,237 per month in Baerum vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,958 per month in Baerum vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,679 per month in Baerum vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Baerum costs about 150% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Baerum sits 136% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.09 NOK 197

$11.71 MX$199

80.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 NOK 1,213

$46.59 MX$791

179.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.22 NOK 151

$11.65 MX$198

39.23%

Cappuccino

$5.94 NOK 55.3

$4.09 MX$69.5

45.23%

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

$4.15 NOK 38.69

$1.37 MX$23.34

202.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 NOK 33.05

$0.83 MX$14.16

327.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.95 NOK 111

$3.35 MX$56.9

256.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.60 NOK 117

$6.91 MX$117

82.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 NOK 23.37

$1.73 MX$29.33

45.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 NOK 35.59

$2.26 MX$38.39

69.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 NOK 43.76

$1.77 MX$30.05

165.54%

Eggs

$5.84 NOK 54.4

$2.73 MX$46.41

113.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 NOK 102

$9.18 MX$156

18.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 NOK 146

$8.92 MX$151

75.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.26 NOK 282

$12.60 MX$214

140.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 NOK 25.50

$3.02 MX$51.3

-9.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 NOK 19.59

$1.57 MX$26.68

33.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 NOK 19.77

$2.13 MX$36.10

-0.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 NOK 39.34

$2.26 MX$38.46

86.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 NOK 15.59

$2.00 MX$34.04

-16.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 NOK 26.90

$2.06 MX$35.06

40.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 NOK 29.70

$1.18 MX$20.04

170.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 NOK 23.34

$1.20 MX$20.45

109.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.29 NOK 180

$4.63 MX$78.7

316.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.53 NOK 154

$10.69 MX$182

54.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 32.46

$1.62 MX$27.50

114.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 NOK 39.68

$2.88 MX$48.93

47.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 NOK 41.62

$0.57 MX$9.74

684.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.37 NOK 115

$5.45 MX$92.5

126.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NOK 17.30

$3.70 MX$62.9

-49.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.9 NOK 661

$5.98 MX$102

1086.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.34 NOK 21.77

$1.55 MX$26.38

50.97%

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

$28.4K NOK 264.2K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

27.00%

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

$25.4K NOK 236.3K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-2.28%

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

$349 NOK 3,254

$89.1 MX$1,514

291.85%

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

$32.91 NOK 307

$25.04 MX$425

31.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 NOK 547

$31.50 MX$535

86.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 NOK 508

$67.8 MX$1,151

-19.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$15.74 NOK 147

$5.05 MX$85.8

211.68%

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

$252 NOK 2,350

$225 MX$3,820

12.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K NOK 145.7K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

270.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 969

$47.44 MX$806

119.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 NOK 584

$44.98 MX$764

39.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 NOK 1,275

$82.0 MX$1,392

66.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NOK 1,485

$92.1 MX$1,564

73.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 NOK 16.2K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

62.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NOK 14.1K

$405 MX$6,884

272.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,501 NOK 32.6K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

80.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 NOK 27.8K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

128.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.3K NOK 105.0K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

182.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K NOK 97.9K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

58.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,568 NOK 51.9K

$749 MX$12.7K

643.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

11.45

-59.83%

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

Last update for Baerum: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,739 in Baerum versus $1,069 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 644% higher in Baerum, 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 $130 in Baerum versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $476 vs $277 – 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

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

Yes – Baerum is pricier by about 150%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,855 per month in Baerum and $1,940 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,237 in Baerum and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $252 per month in Baerum and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Baerum at $3,237. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baerum it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Baerum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.