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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,659 per month in Drammen vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,071 per month in Drammen vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,484 per month in Drammen vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Drammen sits 93% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.46 NOK 199

$11.96 MX$203

79.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$132 NOK 1,221

$47.38 MX$804

177.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 NOK 106

$11.75 MX$199

-3.06%

Cappuccino

$5.36 NOK 49.76

$4.12 MX$70.0

30.10%

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

$4.01 NOK 37.21

$1.40 MX$23.74

186.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NOK 18.34

$0.91 MX$15.48

117.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.88 NOK 110

$3.21 MX$54.4

270.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 NOK 63.9

$7.07 MX$120

-2.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 NOK 23.83

$1.68 MX$28.44

52.98%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 NOK 38.71

$2.15 MX$36.48

93.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 NOK 42.48

$1.77 MX$30.10

158.76%

Eggs

$4.73 NOK 43.91

$2.82 MX$47.76

67.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 NOK 130

$9.20 MX$156

52.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.67 NOK 145

$9.23 MX$157

69.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.60 NOK 284

$12.64 MX$214

142.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 32.18

$2.95 MX$50.1

17.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 NOK 25.00

$1.58 MX$26.79

70.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 NOK 32.96

$2.22 MX$37.70

59.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.89 NOK 54.7

$2.36 MX$40.09

149.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 24.72

$1.99 MX$33.81

33.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 26.98

$1.98 MX$33.58

46.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 NOK 28.72

$1.24 MX$21.04

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 NOK 22.95

$1.21 MX$20.55

104.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.88 NOK 157

$4.60 MX$78.1

266.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.45 NOK 153

$10.52 MX$178

56.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 33.61

$1.69 MX$28.70

114.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 NOK 40.15

$2.77 MX$47.06

56.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 NOK 32.22

$0.60 MX$10.22

478.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.7 NOK 878

$29.70 MX$504

218.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.42 NOK 115

$5.24 MX$88.8

137.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NOK 17.23

$3.65 MX$61.9

-49.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.6 NOK 664

$5.78 MX$98.1

1138.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 20.87

$1.54 MX$26.09

46.10%

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

$46.0K NOK 426.3K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

101.54%

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

$45.2K NOK 419.1K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

75.01%

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

$273 NOK 2,534

$90.7 MX$1,538

201.30%

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

$33.79 NOK 313

$25.19 MX$427

34.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 NOK 502

$31.75 MX$539

70.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 NOK 756

$68.8 MX$1,167

18.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$18.03 NOK 167

$4.86 MX$82.5

270.99%

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

$252 NOK 2,337

$226 MX$3,828

11.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K NOK 147.7K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

279.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 NOK 978

$47.38 MX$804

122.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 NOK 571

$43.45 MX$737

41.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NOK 1,244

$80.2 MX$1,361

67.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 NOK 1,444

$91.4 MX$1,550

70.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,383 NOK 12.8K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

27.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 NOK 9,607

$409 MX$6,933

153.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,121 NOK 19.7K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

7.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 NOK 15.3K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

28.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K NOK 98.1K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

161.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,427 NOK 59.6K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-4.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,712 NOK 34.4K

$773 MX$13.1K

379.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

11.45

-60.35%

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

Last update for Drammen: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,383 in Drammen versus $1,086 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 380% higher in Drammen, 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 $132 in Drammen versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $510 vs $278 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,659 in Drammen, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 104% apart. Drammen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,989 per month in Drammen and $1,958 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.

Kindergarten costs $252 per month in Drammen and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 84% more in Drammen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Drammen at $2,659. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drammen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $2,659 in Drammen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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