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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,282 in Narvik versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,472 in Narvik versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,663 in Narvik versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Narvik is roughly 80% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Narvik is 70% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 NOK 192

$11.87 MX$204

70.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.9 NOK 853

$42.90 MX$736

109.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.34 NOK 146

$10.65 MX$183

44.04%

Cappuccino

$5.64 NOK 53.5

$3.45 MX$59.2

63.48%

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

$2.50 NOK 23.72

$1.50 MX$25.81

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 NOK 23.39

$0.95 MX$16.28

158.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.30 NOK 107

$3.03 MX$51.9

272.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.94 NOK 104

$4.61 MX$79.1

137.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 NOK 23.66

$1.38 MX$23.61

80.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 NOK 30.53

$1.85 MX$31.70

74.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 23.87

$1.61 MX$27.65

55.90%

Eggs

$5.01 NOK 47.58

$2.59 MX$44.51

93.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 NOK 110

$8.26 MX$142

40.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 NOK 144

$8.37 MX$144

81.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.29 NOK 212

$10.66 MX$183

109.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 NOK 32.54

$2.63 MX$45.12

30.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NOK 18.77

$1.49 MX$25.53

32.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 NOK 34.34

$1.92 MX$32.94

88.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 NOK 41.00

$2.09 MX$35.81

106.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 NOK 23.32

$1.86 MX$31.88

32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 NOK 34.27

$2.26 MX$38.81

59.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 NOK 25.95

$1.06 MX$18.23

157.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.67

$1.09 MX$18.67

61.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 NOK 140

$4.15 MX$71.2

255.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.10 NOK 181

$10.39 MX$178

83.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 33.12

$1.72 MX$29.59

102.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 NOK 34.55

$2.61 MX$44.85

39.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.02 NOK 47.66

$0.54 MX$9.30

829.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 NOK 800

$26.94 MX$462

212.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.90 NOK 122

$3.13 MX$53.7

312.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 NOK 13.08

$2.51 MX$43.09

-45.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.9 NOK 483

$3.15 MX$54.1

1515.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.64

$1.27 MX$21.88

71.65%

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

$29.8K NOK 283.0K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-1.83%

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

$30.0K NOK 284.6K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

27.24%

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

$253 NOK 2,399

$83.0 MX$1,425

204.52%

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

$47.87 NOK 454

$22.71 MX$390

110.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 NOK 722

$29.46 MX$506

158.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 NOK 504

$51.0 MX$875

4.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.25 NOK 240

$18.33 MX$315

37.75%

Cinema Ticket

$16.76 NOK 159

$4.93 MX$84.5

239.96%

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

$329 NOK 3,123

$197 MX$3,386

66.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,227 NOK 68.6K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

36.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 NOK 843

$36.90 MX$633

140.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.39 NOK 307

$39.89 MX$685

-18.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 NOK 1,255

$80.0 MX$1,373

65.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 NOK 1,287

$89.5 MX$1,536

51.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 NOK 8,857

$956 MX$16.4K

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 NOK 6,568

$477 MX$8,189

45.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 NOK 14.9K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-4.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 NOK 11.2K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-3.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,236 NOK 49.7K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

33.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,701 NOK 44.6K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-27.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,636 NOK 34.5K

$667 MX$11.4K

445.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

11.42

-62.61%

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

Last update for Narvik: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Narvik and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Narvik pays 445% 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: $90.0 in Narvik vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $440 vs $250 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

Narvik 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 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Narvik pays 445% 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: $933 in Narvik versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,282 per month in Narvik versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 80% 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 213% less than in Narvik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,282 in Narvik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Narvik. 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 Narvik, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Narvik 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 80% less than in Narvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.