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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,266 per month in Horten vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,483 per month in Horten vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,700 per month in Horten vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Horten costs about 80% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Horten sits 70% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$28.38 NOK 271
$11.72 MX$203
142.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$103 NOK 979
$41.89 MX$726
145.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.48 NOK 129
$10.51 MX$182
28.26%
Cappuccino
$4.86 NOK 46.38
$3.59 MX$62.1
35.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 NOK 23.39
$1.51 MX$26.13
62.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 NOK 21.23
$0.92 MX$15.86
142.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.87 NOK 84.6
$2.96 MX$51.2
199.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.88 NOK 94.3
$4.41 MX$76.4
124.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 NOK 20.68
$1.40 MX$24.19
55.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.45 NOK 32.94
$1.88 MX$32.65
83.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.19 NOK 30.45
$1.56 MX$27.01
104.49%
Eggs
$4.22 NOK 40.25
$2.61 MX$45.20
61.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.94 NOK 94.8
$8.32 MX$144
19.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.44 NOK 128
$8.35 MX$145
60.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.62 NOK 225
$10.86 MX$188
117.50%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 NOK 34.53
$2.71 MX$47.00
33.58%
Banana (1kg)
$2.34 NOK 22.31
$1.51 MX$26.08
54.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.29 NOK 31.42
$1.87 MX$32.46
75.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.07 NOK 38.79
$2.19 MX$37.94
85.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 NOK 18.73
$1.86 MX$32.18
5.38%
Onion (1kg)
$2.14 NOK 20.45
$2.23 MX$38.64
-4.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.85 NOK 27.23
$1.07 MX$18.51
166.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 NOK 17.55
$1.09 MX$18.82
68.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.35 NOK 137
$4.19 MX$72.5
242.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.26 NOK 174
$10.43 MX$181
75.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.23 NOK 30.78
$1.66 MX$28.72
94.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 NOK 38.37
$2.61 MX$45.26
54.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.05 NOK 48.12
$0.54 MX$9.39
835.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 NOK 738
$26.16 MX$453
195.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.96 NOK 95.0
$3.08 MX$53.3
223.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.10 NOK 10.47
$2.40 MX$41.66
-54.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$102 NOK 971
$3.13 MX$54.2
3151.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 NOK 19.98
$1.31 MX$22.72
59.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K NOK 341.6K
$29.8K MX$516.4K
20.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K NOK 368.8K
$23.3K MX$404.1K
65.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$217 NOK 2,070
$81.3 MX$1,408
167.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.09 NOK 411
$22.56 MX$391
91.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.39 NOK 290
$30.05 MX$521
1.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.98 NOK 467
$52.9 MX$917
-7.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.29 NOK 337
$18.39 MX$319
91.90%
Cinema Ticket
$15.07 NOK 144
$4.92 MX$85.2
206.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 NOK 2,909
$201 MX$3,479
51.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.0K NOK 95.7K
$5,175 MX$89.7K
93.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$117 NOK 1,115
$35.92 MX$622
225.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.93 NOK 390
$40.13 MX$695
1.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$55.3 NOK 528
$79.7 MX$1,381
-30.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$182 NOK 1,733
$86.5 MX$1,498
110.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,074 NOK 10.2K
$978 MX$16.9K
9.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$804 NOK 7,667
$470 MX$8,152
70.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,705 NOK 16.3K
$1,651 MX$28.6K
3.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,235 NOK 11.8K
$1,203 MX$20.9K
2.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,290 NOK 50.5K
$3,953 MX$68.5K
33.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,826 NOK 36.5K
$6,607 MX$114.5K
-42.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$677 MX$11.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3
11.42
-73.73%

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

Last update for Horten: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,074 in Horten versus $978 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Horten versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $252 – 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
Horten vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Horten and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,266 in Horten, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 80% apart. Horten costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Horten compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,399 per month in Horten and $1,890 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 Horten and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Horten or Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,266 in Horten and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How do commuting costs compare in Horten and in Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 196% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
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 $1,260, than in Horten at $2,266. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Horten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Horten and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $2,266 in Horten. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Horten or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Horten 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, Horten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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