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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,419 in Grimstad versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,510 in Grimstad versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,601 in Grimstad versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Grimstad is roughly 93% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Grimstad is 81% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.86 NOK 220

$11.99 MX$210

90.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 NOK 495

$41.78 MX$731

22.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.51 NOK 140

$10.75 MX$188

34.98%

Cappuccino

$4.64 NOK 44.66

$3.50 MX$61.1

32.57%

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

$4.11 NOK 39.55

$1.45 MX$25.33

183.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 NOK 31.84

$0.88 MX$15.47

276.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.28 NOK 118

$2.95 MX$51.6

316.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.26 NOK 98.9

$4.51 MX$78.9

127.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 NOK 22.97

$1.43 MX$25.04

66.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 NOK 30.68

$1.84 MX$32.13

73.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 NOK 28.99

$1.57 MX$27.42

91.72%

Eggs

$3.14 NOK 30.26

$2.51 MX$43.92

25.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 NOK 102

$8.28 MX$145

28.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 NOK 133

$8.43 MX$147

64.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 NOK 159

$10.68 MX$187

54.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 NOK 18.92

$2.61 MX$45.62

-24.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 NOK 22.28

$1.44 MX$25.15

60.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 NOK 32.34

$1.96 MX$34.31

71.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 NOK 40.04

$2.09 MX$36.62

99.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 24.53

$1.85 MX$32.37

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 NOK 24.96

$2.17 MX$37.90

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 NOK 27.19

$1.03 MX$18.04

173.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 NOK 17.20

$1.07 MX$18.78

67.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.50 NOK 169

$4.10 MX$71.7

326.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 NOK 146

$10.17 MX$178

48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 NOK 33.14

$1.68 MX$29.29

104.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 NOK 40.87

$2.53 MX$44.17

67.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.99 NOK 48.02

$0.51 MX$8.90

878.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.6 NOK 728

$26.04 MX$455

190.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.28 NOK 99.0

$3.23 MX$56.5

218.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 13.27

$2.41 MX$42.06

-42.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.03 NOK 414

$3.23 MX$56.5

1232.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 22.06

$1.32 MX$23.10

73.48%

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

$35.7K NOK 343.8K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

20.19%

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

$43.4K NOK 418.5K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

83.61%

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

$301 NOK 2,903

$82.0 MX$1,434

267.49%

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

$27.66 NOK 266

$22.95 MX$401

20.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NOK 541

$30.11 MX$527

86.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.46 NOK 467

$52.0 MX$909

-6.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.04 NOK 347

$18.53 MX$324

94.50%

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 NOK 147

$4.98 MX$87.0

206.22%

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

$266 NOK 2,560

$197 MX$3,452

34.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 141.7K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

175.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.94 NOK 481

$35.60 MX$622

40.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 NOK 576

$40.33 MX$705

48.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 NOK 958

$78.8 MX$1,377

26.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 NOK 1,571

$88.9 MX$1,555

83.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 NOK 11.7K

$947 MX$16.6K

28.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$883 NOK 8,508

$474 MX$8,288

86.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 NOK 17.8K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

12.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 NOK 15.1K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

29.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,625 NOK 44.5K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

14.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,233 NOK 31.1K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-50.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,383 NOK 42.2K

$654 MX$11.4K

570.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.9

11.42

-57.09%

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

Last update for Grimstad: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,218 in Grimstad and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 570% 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: $51.0 in Grimstad vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $249 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 570% higher in Grimstad, 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: $1,218 in Grimstad versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,419 per month in Grimstad versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 190% less than in Grimstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,419 in Grimstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Grimstad. 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 Grimstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Grimstad 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 93% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.