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: $2,376 in Grimstad versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,522 in Grimstad versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,667 in Grimstad versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Grimstad is roughly 83% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Grimstad is 77% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.19 NOK 215

$11.73 MX$203

97.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 NOK 469

$41.62 MX$720

21.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 NOK 138

$10.64 MX$184

39.57%

Cappuccino

$4.59 NOK 42.64

$3.52 MX$60.9

30.40%

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

$4.13 NOK 38.33

$1.51 MX$26.12

173.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 30.64

$0.97 MX$16.84

240.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.12 NOK 113

$2.95 MX$51.0

310.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.08 NOK 93.7

$4.45 MX$77.0

126.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 NOK 22.03

$1.38 MX$23.93

71.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 NOK 29.46

$1.89 MX$32.72

67.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 NOK 28.06

$1.64 MX$28.32

84.15%

Eggs

$3.28 NOK 30.45

$2.51 MX$43.34

30.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.70 NOK 99.4

$8.34 MX$144

28.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.68 NOK 127

$8.34 MX$144

64.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.50 NOK 153

$10.73 MX$186

53.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 NOK 18.36

$2.60 MX$45.04

-23.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NOK 21.70

$1.46 MX$25.20

60.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 NOK 31.93

$1.90 MX$32.87

81.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 NOK 36.99

$2.08 MX$35.91

91.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 23.31

$1.78 MX$30.71

41.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 NOK 25.03

$2.19 MX$37.80

22.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.44

$1.04 MX$17.99

174.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 NOK 16.66

$1.08 MX$18.62

65.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.44 NOK 162

$4.08 MX$70.6

327.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 NOK 148

$10.32 MX$178

54.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.10

$1.71 MX$29.61

95.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 NOK 39.96

$2.58 MX$44.54

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.00 NOK 46.43

$0.51 MX$8.81

880.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.8 NOK 714

$26.46 MX$458

190.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.17 NOK 94.5

$3.26 MX$56.4

211.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.51

$2.49 MX$43.09

-41.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.98 NOK 390

$3.25 MX$56.2

1191.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 NOK 20.20

$1.31 MX$22.61

65.65%

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

$36.0K NOK 334.7K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

19.00%

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

$42.7K NOK 396.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

82.10%

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

$305 NOK 2,833

$82.9 MX$1,433

267.96%

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

$27.64 NOK 257

$22.22 MX$384

24.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 NOK 523

$29.34 MX$507

91.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 NOK 466

$51.6 MX$893

-2.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.26 NOK 328

$18.32 MX$317

92.47%

Cinema Ticket

$14.95 NOK 139

$5.07 MX$87.6

194.87%

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

$271 NOK 2,513

$201 MX$3,473

34.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K NOK 138.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

186.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.92 NOK 464

$36.92 MX$639

35.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 NOK 572

$39.79 MX$688

54.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 NOK 930

$78.5 MX$1,357

27.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 NOK 1,517

$87.1 MX$1,506

87.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 NOK 11.3K

$973 MX$16.8K

24.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 NOK 8,280

$468 MX$8,090

90.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 NOK 16.6K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

9.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 NOK 14.3K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

25.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,641 NOK 43.1K

$664 MX$11.5K

599.01%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,214 in Grimstad and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 599% 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 $391 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 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Grimstad pays 599% more on average, 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: $1,214 in Grimstad versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,376 per month in Grimstad versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 83% 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,376 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 83% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.