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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,658 in Bergen versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,013 in Bergen versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,368 in Bergen versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bergen is roughly 111% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bergen is 100% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.18 NOK 239

$11.72 MX$203

114.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 970

$41.89 MX$725

144.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.35 NOK 183

$10.51 MX$182

84.11%

Cappuccino

$5.34 NOK 50.7

$3.59 MX$62.0

48.75%

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

$3.24 NOK 30.68

$1.51 MX$26.10

114.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 NOK 27.47

$0.92 MX$15.83

215.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.61 NOK 110

$2.96 MX$51.2

292.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.63 NOK 91.3

$4.41 MX$76.3

118.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 NOK 25.70

$1.40 MX$24.16

93.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 NOK 32.64

$1.88 MX$32.60

82.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 26.44

$1.56 MX$26.97

78.85%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 47.68

$2.61 MX$45.14

92.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 NOK 132

$8.32 MX$144

67.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.55 NOK 147

$8.35 MX$145

86.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.87 NOK 264

$10.86 MX$188

156.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 NOK 36.09

$2.71 MX$46.93

40.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 NOK 28.07

$1.51 MX$26.04

96.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 NOK 33.98

$1.87 MX$32.41

91.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 NOK 52.3

$2.19 MX$37.89

151.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.70

$1.86 MX$32.14

39.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 NOK 26.09

$2.23 MX$38.59

23.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 NOK 26.26

$1.07 MX$18.48

158.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 NOK 20.02

$1.09 MX$18.79

93.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.74 NOK 159

$4.19 MX$72.4

299.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.70 NOK 168

$10.43 MX$180

69.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 NOK 32.11

$1.66 MX$28.68

104.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 NOK 40.77

$2.61 MX$45.19

64.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 NOK 41.45

$0.54 MX$9.37

709.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.8 NOK 757

$26.16 MX$453

205.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.20 NOK 144

$3.08 MX$53.3

393.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 NOK 20.87

$2.40 MX$41.61

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.6 NOK 689

$3.13 MX$54.1

2220.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.98

$1.31 MX$22.69

68.70%

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

$35.8K NOK 339.6K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

20.14%

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

$43.7K NOK 414.2K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

87.29%

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

$244 NOK 2,314

$81.3 MX$1,406

200.25%

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

$38.05 NOK 361

$22.56 MX$390

68.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 NOK 620

$30.05 MX$520

117.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 NOK 513

$52.9 MX$915

2.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.77 NOK 377

$18.39 MX$318

116.26%

Cinema Ticket

$19.90 NOK 189

$4.92 MX$85.1

304.47%

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

$284 NOK 2,692

$201 MX$3,474

41.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 122.2K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

149.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.5 NOK 877

$35.92 MX$622

157.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 NOK 528

$40.13 MX$694

38.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 NOK 1,067

$79.7 MX$1,379

41.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 NOK 1,360

$86.5 MX$1,496

65.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 NOK 12.4K

$978 MX$16.9K

33.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 NOK 9,455

$470 MX$8,140

111.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 NOK 19.3K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

23.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

32.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,558 NOK 71.7K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

91.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,679 NOK 44.4K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-29.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,385 NOK 41.6K

$677 MX$11.7K

548.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

11.42

-57.53%

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

Last update for Bergen: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,304 in Bergen and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 548% 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: $102 in Bergen vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $485 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 111% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 548% higher in Bergen, 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: $1,304 in Bergen versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $284 in Bergen versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 93% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,658 in Bergen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bergen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bergen 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 111% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.