Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Drammen and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,736 in Drammen, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Drammen, Norway
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Drammen
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,736
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Drammen and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Drammen and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,736 per month in Drammen vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Drammen $2,736
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $4,119 per month in Drammen vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Drammen $4,119
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $5,503 per month in Drammen vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Drammen $5,503
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Drammen costs about 127% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Drammen sits 101% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Drammen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.43 NOK 199
$10.92 MX$204
96.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$126 NOK 1,175
$43.37 MX$808
191.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.08 NOK 103
$11.78 MX$220
-5.94%
Cappuccino
$5.34 NOK 49.58
$3.81 MX$71.0
40.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.10 NOK 38.12
$1.28 MX$23.90
220.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 NOK 19.00
$0.78 MX$14.59
161.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.76 NOK 109
$3.17 MX$59.0
270.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.96 NOK 64.7
$4.93 MX$92.0
41.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Drammen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.63 NOK 24.41
$1.41 MX$26.22
86.52%
White Bread (500g)
$4.37 NOK 40.63
$2.22 MX$41.33
96.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.90 NOK 45.48
$1.42 MX$26.42
245.07%
Eggs
$4.85 NOK 45.04
$2.52 MX$47.03
92.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.17 NOK 132
$7.26 MX$135
95.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.76 NOK 146
$7.70 MX$143
104.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$31.63 NOK 294
$12.69 MX$237
149.25%
Apples (1kg)
$3.37 NOK 31.33
$2.78 MX$51.9
21.22%
Banana (1kg)
$2.79 NOK 25.89
$1.37 MX$25.50
103.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.58 NOK 33.28
$2.55 MX$47.55
40.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.85 NOK 54.4
$2.12 MX$39.58
175.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.74 NOK 25.50
$1.94 MX$36.13
41.24%
Onion (1kg)
$2.95 NOK 27.38
$1.89 MX$35.16
56.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.11 NOK 28.94
$1.15 MX$21.37
170.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.52 NOK 23.40
$1.18 MX$21.98
113.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.36 NOK 161
$4.30 MX$80.1
303.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.22 NOK 151
$9.95 MX$185
63.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.63 NOK 33.74
$1.58 MX$29.52
129.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 NOK 40.44
$2.67 MX$49.79
62.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Drammen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.48 NOK 32.33
$0.55 MX$10.31
532.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$97.1 NOK 902
$26.62 MX$496
264.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$12.27 NOK 114
$4.97 MX$92.6
146.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.91 NOK 17.73
$3.33 MX$62.1
-42.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$72.4 NOK 673
$5.36 MX$99.8
1250.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.34 NOK 21.73
$1.44 MX$26.92
62.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.7K NOK 434.2K
$20.7K MX$385.2K
126.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.3K NOK 420.4K
$23.5K MX$437.4K
92.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Drammen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$273 NOK 2,532
$84.8 MX$1,581
221.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.51 NOK 321
$23.41 MX$436
47.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.6 NOK 507
$28.66 MX$534
90.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Drammen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$82.2 NOK 763
$57.1 MX$1,063
44.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.91 MX$539
-
Cinema Ticket
$18.13 NOK 168
$5.14 MX$95.8
252.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Drammen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$241 NOK 2,238
$207 MX$3,851
16.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K NOK 150.5K
$3,927 MX$73.2K
312.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Drammen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 NOK 940
$43.35 MX$808
133.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.3 NOK 578
$41.44 MX$772
50.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 NOK 1,254
$74.2 MX$1,383
81.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153 NOK 1,419
$89.3 MX$1,664
71.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Drammen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,363 NOK 12.7K
$980 MX$18.3K
39.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,036 NOK 9,620
$381 MX$7,099
171.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,106 NOK 19.6K
$1,708 MX$31.8K
23.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,591 NOK 14.8K
$1,075 MX$20.0K
47.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.8K NOK 100.5K
$3,943 MX$73.5K
174.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,542 NOK 60.8K
$6,158 MX$114.8K
6.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Drammen
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,742 NOK 34.8K
$735 MX$13.7K
409.44%
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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Drammen
$1K
Playa del Carmen
$381 63.2% $655
Groceries & Markets
Drammen
$518
Playa del Carmen
$255 50.9% $264
Eating Out
Drammen
$366
Playa del Carmen
$202 44.7% $164
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Drammen
$362
Playa del Carmen
$137 62.2% $225
Clothing & Footwear
Drammen
$203
Playa del Carmen
$112 45% $91
Getting Around
Drammen
$133
Playa del Carmen
$50 62% $82
Sport & Entertainment
Drammen
$118
Playa del Carmen
$67 43.2% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,363 in Drammen versus $980 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 in Drammen are about 5.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $126 in Drammen versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $518 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Drammen
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
19:04 7:04 PM
13:04 1:04 PM
6 h behind Drammen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
104,625
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.29 NOK (1 NOK = 0.108 USD). 1 EUR = 10.34 NOK (100 NOK = 9.67 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Drammen Playa del Carmen 8,430 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Drammen
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Drammen and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,736 in Drammen, $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 127% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Drammen compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,104 per month in Drammen and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Drammen and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,363 in Drammen.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Drammen and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $241 per month in Drammen and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 103% more in Drammen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Drammen at $2,736. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drammen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Drammen or Playa del Carmen?
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.
How do I decide between Drammen and Playa del Carmen?
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.

Drammen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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