Cost of Living Comparison Between Mo i Rana and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mo i Rana and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,406 in Mo i Rana versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,701 in Mo i Rana versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,997 in Mo i Rana versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mo i Rana is roughly 91% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mo i Rana is 81% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mo i Rana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.41 NOK 244
$11.72 MX$204
116.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.4 NOK 954
$41.89 MX$731
137.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.56 NOK 130
$10.51 MX$183
29.02%
Cappuccino
$5.06 NOK 48.58
$3.59 MX$62.5
40.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 NOK 29.86
$1.51 MX$26.31
105.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 NOK 28.02
$0.92 MX$15.96
217.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.19 NOK 97.8
$2.96 MX$51.6
244.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.87 NOK 94.7
$4.41 MX$76.9
123.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mo i Rana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.00 NOK 19.15
$1.40 MX$24.35
42.86%
White Bread (500g)
$3.40 NOK 32.60
$1.88 MX$32.87
80.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.32 NOK 31.83
$1.56 MX$27.19
112.82%
Eggs
$4.22 NOK 40.51
$2.61 MX$45.50
61.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.86 NOK 114
$8.32 MX$145
42.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.69 NOK 141
$8.35 MX$146
75.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$28.96 NOK 278
$10.86 MX$189
166.67%
Apples (1kg)
$3.54 NOK 34.00
$2.71 MX$47.31
30.63%
Banana (1kg)
$2.49 NOK 23.93
$1.51 MX$26.25
64.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.41 NOK 32.71
$1.87 MX$32.67
82.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.54 NOK 43.58
$2.19 MX$38.19
107.31%
Potato (1kg)
$2.50 NOK 23.95
$1.86 MX$32.40
34.41%
Onion (1kg)
$2.51 NOK 24.07
$2.23 MX$38.90
12.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.73 NOK 26.20
$1.07 MX$18.63
155.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 NOK 17.41
$1.09 MX$18.94
66.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.32 NOK 147
$4.19 MX$73.0
265.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.25 NOK 165
$10.43 MX$182
65.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.37 NOK 32.36
$1.66 MX$28.91
103.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09 NOK 39.19
$2.61 MX$45.56
56.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Mo i Rana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.32 NOK 41.45
$0.54 MX$9.45
700.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.3 NOK 694
$26.16 MX$456
176.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.25 NOK 98.3
$3.08 MX$53.7
232.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.40 NOK 13.40
$2.40 MX$41.94
-41.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$47.22 NOK 453
$3.13 MX$54.5
1408.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.68 NOK 25.72
$1.31 MX$22.87
104.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K NOK 337.8K
$29.8K MX$519.9K
18.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4K NOK 368.0K
$23.3K MX$406.8K
64.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mo i Rana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$238 NOK 2,284
$81.3 MX$1,418
192.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.08 NOK 375
$22.56 MX$393
73.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.7 NOK 524
$30.05 MX$524
81.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mo i Rana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.98 NOK 479
$52.9 MX$923
-5.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.07 NOK 346
$18.39 MX$321
96.14%
Cinema Ticket
$16.47 NOK 158
$4.92 MX$85.8
234.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mo i Rana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$285 NOK 2,735
$201 MX$3,502
41.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K NOK 98.1K
$5,175 MX$90.2K
97.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mo i Rana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.8 NOK 919
$35.92 MX$627
166.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.4 NOK 502
$40.13 MX$700
30.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 NOK 1,045
$79.7 MX$1,390
36.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153 NOK 1,471
$86.5 MX$1,508
77.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mo i Rana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,204 NOK 11.5K
$978 MX$17.1K
23.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$910 NOK 8,729
$470 MX$8,206
93.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,803 NOK 17.3K
$1,651 MX$28.8K
9.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,541 NOK 14.8K
$1,203 MX$21.0K
28.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,874 NOK 56.3K
$3,953 MX$69.0K
48.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,703 NOK 35.5K
$6,607 MX$115.2K
-43.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mo i Rana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$677 MX$11.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.38
11.42
-61.65%

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

Last update for Mo i Rana: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,204 in Mo i Rana and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Mo i Rana vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $454 vs $252 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
Mo i Rana vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Mo i Rana?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,608 in Mo i Rana and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Mo i Rana and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,204 in Mo i Rana versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 176% less than in Mo i Rana. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $285 in Mo i Rana versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Mo i Rana or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,406 in Mo i Rana, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mo i Rana. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Mo i Rana or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mo i Rana, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Mo i Rana or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Mo i Rana 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Mo i Rana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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