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 $2,557 per month in Baerum vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,928 per month in Baerum vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,298 per month in Baerum vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Baerum costs about 104% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Baerum sits 91% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.61 NOK 247

$11.99 MX$210

113.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 983

$41.78 MX$731

144.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.15 NOK 127

$10.75 MX$188

22.33%

Cappuccino

$4.98 NOK 47.93

$3.50 MX$61.1

42.29%

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

$2.52 NOK 24.29

$1.45 MX$25.33

73.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NOK 20.84

$0.88 MX$15.47

145.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.84 NOK 85.2

$2.95 MX$51.6

199.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.47 NOK 91.2

$4.51 MX$78.9

109.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 22.01

$1.43 MX$25.04

60.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 NOK 34.48

$1.84 MX$32.13

94.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 NOK 30.89

$1.57 MX$27.42

104.46%

Eggs

$4.97 NOK 47.90

$2.51 MX$43.92

98.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 NOK 110

$8.28 MX$145

37.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.31 NOK 157

$8.43 MX$147

93.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.23 NOK 301

$10.68 MX$187

192.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 34.26

$2.61 MX$45.62

36.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NOK 22.42

$1.44 MX$25.15

61.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NOK 31.51

$1.96 MX$34.31

66.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 NOK 38.38

$2.09 MX$36.62

90.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 NOK 21.26

$1.85 MX$32.37

19.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 NOK 20.66

$2.17 MX$37.90

-1.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 NOK 27.27

$1.03 MX$18.04

174.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.58

$1.07 MX$18.78

71.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 NOK 136

$4.10 MX$71.7

243.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.21 NOK 175

$10.17 MX$178

79.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 33.58

$1.68 MX$29.29

107.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 NOK 38.66

$2.53 MX$44.17

58.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.15 NOK 39.95

$0.51 MX$8.90

713.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 NOK 701

$26.04 MX$455

179.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 NOK 99.1

$3.23 MX$56.5

218.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.54

$2.41 MX$42.06

-41.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.77 NOK 412

$3.23 MX$56.5

1224.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.41

$1.32 MX$23.10

60.61%

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

$26.8K NOK 258.3K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-9.70%

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

$24.3K NOK 233.9K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

2.63%

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

$306 NOK 2,949

$82.0 MX$1,434

273.31%

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

$40.10 NOK 386

$22.95 MX$401

74.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.04 NOK 366

$30.11 MX$527

26.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 NOK 485

$52.0 MX$909

-3.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 NOK 344

$18.53 MX$324

92.88%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 NOK 146

$4.98 MX$87.0

205.42%

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

$272 NOK 2,622

$197 MX$3,452

37.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K NOK 140.9K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

174.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 NOK 1,014

$35.60 MX$622

195.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.64 NOK 449

$40.33 MX$705

15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 NOK 958

$78.8 MX$1,377

26.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,465

$88.9 MX$1,555

71.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 NOK 11.9K

$947 MX$16.6K

30.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 NOK 8,758

$474 MX$8,288

91.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 NOK 20.7K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

30.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 NOK 15.5K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

32.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,734 NOK 55.2K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

41.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,915 NOK 37.7K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-39.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,193 NOK 50.0K

$654 MX$11.4K

694.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

11.42

-61.65%

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

Last update for Baerum: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,232 in Baerum versus $947 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 694% 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 $102 in Baerum versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $472 vs $249 – 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 104%, 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 $3,836 per month in Baerum and $1,884 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 $2,557 in Baerum and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 179% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Baerum at $2,557. 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.