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 $2,318 per month in Horten vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,539 per month in Horten vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,760 per month in Horten vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Horten costs about 82% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Horten sits 72% 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
$28.90 NOK 274
$11.87 MX$204
143.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 NOK 956
$42.90 MX$736
134.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.32 NOK 126
$10.65 MX$183
25.07%
Cappuccino
$4.88 NOK 46.29
$3.45 MX$59.2
41.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 NOK 23.15
$1.50 MX$25.81
62.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 NOK 20.23
$0.95 MX$16.28
124.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.36 NOK 88.8
$3.03 MX$51.9
208.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.77 NOK 92.8
$4.61 MX$79.1
111.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 NOK 20.27
$1.38 MX$23.61
55.07%
White Bread (500g)
$3.39 NOK 32.19
$1.85 MX$31.70
83.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.07 NOK 29.16
$1.61 MX$27.65
90.68%
Eggs
$4.31 NOK 40.91
$2.59 MX$44.51
66.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.81 NOK 93.1
$8.26 MX$142
18.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.29 NOK 126
$8.37 MX$144
58.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.59 NOK 224
$10.66 MX$183
121.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 NOK 34.78
$2.63 MX$45.12
39.16%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 NOK 21.61
$1.49 MX$25.53
53.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.37 NOK 32.02
$1.92 MX$32.94
75.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.92 NOK 37.21
$2.09 MX$35.81
87.56%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 NOK 19.03
$1.86 MX$31.88
7.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.13 NOK 20.23
$2.26 MX$38.81
-5.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.80 NOK 26.61
$1.06 MX$18.23
164.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 NOK 17.48
$1.09 MX$18.67
68.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.05 NOK 133
$4.15 MX$71.2
238.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.64 NOK 177
$10.39 MX$178
79.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.33 NOK 31.65
$1.72 MX$29.59
93.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.99 NOK 37.86
$2.61 MX$44.85
52.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.17 NOK 49.08
$0.54 MX$9.30
857.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.9 NOK 711
$26.94 MX$462
177.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.29 NOK 97.6
$3.13 MX$53.7
228.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 NOK 10.31
$2.51 MX$43.09
-56.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$103 NOK 978
$3.15 MX$54.1
3169.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 NOK 20.43
$1.27 MX$21.88
69.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.9K NOK 340.5K
$30.4K MX$521.3K
18.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.9K NOK 369.0K
$23.6K MX$404.5K
64.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$216 NOK 2,049
$83.0 MX$1,425
160.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.90 NOK 417
$22.71 MX$390
93.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.06 NOK 285
$29.46 MX$506
2.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.41 NOK 459
$51.0 MX$875
-5.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.89 NOK 331
$18.33 MX$315
90.34%
Cinema Ticket
$15.09 NOK 143
$4.93 MX$84.5
206.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 NOK 2,923
$197 MX$3,386
56.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,951 NOK 94.5K
$5,280 MX$90.6K
88.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 NOK 1,085
$36.90 MX$633
209.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.11 NOK 390
$39.89 MX$685
3.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$54.9 NOK 521
$80.0 MX$1,373
-31.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$184 NOK 1,745
$89.5 MX$1,536
105.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,061 NOK 10.1K
$956 MX$16.4K
10.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$820 NOK 7,779
$477 MX$8,189
71.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,686 NOK 16.0K
$1,646 MX$28.3K
2.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,216 NOK 11.5K
$1,225 MX$21.0K
-0.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,059 NOK 57.5K
$3,918 MX$67.2K
54.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,365 NOK 41.4K
$6,459 MX$110.9K
-32.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Horten
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,426 NOK 32.5K
$667 MX$11.4K
413.58%
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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,061 in Horten versus $956 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 run about 414% higher in Horten, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Horten versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $250 – 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 Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,318 in Horten, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 82% 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 $3,477 per month in Horten and $1,906 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 $2,318 in Horten and $1,271 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 Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 178% 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 $1,271, than in Horten at $2,318. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $2,318 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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