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: $2,217 in Grimstad versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,795 in Grimstad versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Grimstad versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Grimstad is roughly 70% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Grimstad is 61% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.54 NOK 200

$11.96 MX$203

80.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 NOK 738

$47.38 MX$805

67.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.52 NOK 144

$11.75 MX$200

32.09%

Cappuccino

$4.83 NOK 44.89

$4.12 MX$70.1

17.23%

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

$4.34 NOK 40.32

$1.40 MX$23.78

210.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 32.72

$0.91 MX$15.50

286.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.77 NOK 109

$3.21 MX$54.5

266.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.92 NOK 101

$7.07 MX$120

54.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 NOK 24.13

$1.68 MX$28.49

54.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 NOK 34.89

$2.15 MX$36.53

74.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.25

$1.77 MX$30.14

77.97%

Eggs

$3.62 NOK 33.61

$2.82 MX$47.83

28.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 NOK 124

$9.20 MX$156

45.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.60 NOK 136

$9.23 MX$157

58.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.16 NOK 234

$12.64 MX$215

99.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 NOK 20.28

$2.95 MX$50.1

-26.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 NOK 22.13

$1.58 MX$26.83

50.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 NOK 32.53

$2.22 MX$37.76

57.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 NOK 40.96

$2.36 MX$40.15

86.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 NOK 25.85

$1.99 MX$33.86

39.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 27.69

$1.98 MX$33.63

50.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.20 NOK 29.76

$1.24 MX$21.07

158.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 NOK 17.96

$1.21 MX$20.58

59.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.65 NOK 183

$4.60 MX$78.2

327.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.93 NOK 148

$10.52 MX$179

51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 32.34

$1.69 MX$28.74

105.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NOK 41.24

$2.77 MX$47.13

60.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.53 NOK 51.4

$0.60 MX$10.24

821.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.2 NOK 885

$29.70 MX$505

220.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.33 NOK 115

$5.24 MX$89.0

135.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NOK 17.15

$3.65 MX$62.0

-49.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.1 NOK 660

$5.78 MX$98.3

1129.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 20.91

$1.54 MX$26.13

46.10%

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

$49.3K NOK 457.6K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

116.02%

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

$46.3K NOK 429.7K

$25.8K MX$438.5K

79.21%

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

$317 NOK 2,947

$90.7 MX$1,540

249.91%

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

$33.46 NOK 311

$25.19 MX$428

32.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 NOK 535

$31.75 MX$539

81.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.15 NOK 401

$68.8 MX$1,169

-37.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$16.42 NOK 153

$4.86 MX$82.6

237.86%

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

$254 NOK 2,358

$226 MX$3,834

12.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K NOK 151.2K

$4,194 MX$71.2K

288.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.7 NOK 908

$47.38 MX$805

106.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 NOK 505

$43.45 MX$738

25.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 NOK 999

$80.2 MX$1,363

34.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,469

$91.4 MX$1,552

73.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 NOK 8,541

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-15.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 NOK 4,971

$409 MX$6,943

30.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 NOK 18.5K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

0.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 NOK 17.0K

$1,281 MX$21.8K

42.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,773 NOK 44.3K

$4,046 MX$68.7K

17.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,457 NOK 32.1K

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-48.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,632 NOK 43.0K

$773 MX$13.1K

498.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.9

11.45

-57.21%

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

Last update for Grimstad: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $919 in Grimstad and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 499% 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: $79.0 in Grimstad vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $278 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 499% 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: $919 in Grimstad versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Grimstad versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 70% 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 221% less than in Grimstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,217 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 70% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.