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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,074 in Njardvik versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,807 in Njardvik versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,541 in Njardvik versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Njardvik is roughly 139% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Njardvik is 130% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.55 ISK 3,007

$11.94 MX$208

105.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.1 ISK 11.6K

$42.75 MX$744

122.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.24 ISK 1,989

$10.59 MX$184

53.35%

Cappuccino

$6.13 ISK 751

$3.62 MX$63.0

69.34%

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

$1.64 ISK 201

$1.47 MX$25.54

11.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ISK 297

$0.94 MX$16.41

158.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.35 ISK 1,268

$3.09 MX$53.8

234.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.45 ISK 1,402

$4.46 MX$77.6

156.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ISK 238

$1.43 MX$24.80

35.66%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 ISK 512

$1.88 MX$32.79

122.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 ISK 455

$1.63 MX$28.34

128.22%

Eggs

$6.48 ISK 794

$2.64 MX$45.99

145.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.99 ISK 2,203

$8.21 MX$143

119.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.66 ISK 2,898

$8.29 MX$144

185.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.52 ISK 5,208

$11.10 MX$193

283.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 ISK 398

$2.65 MX$46.14

22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ISK 306

$1.50 MX$26.11

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ISK 368

$1.99 MX$34.59

50.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 ISK 603

$2.08 MX$36.13

136.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 ISK 451

$1.79 MX$31.11

106.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 ISK 283

$2.18 MX$37.87

5.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 ISK 385

$1.08 MX$18.73

191.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ISK 245

$1.04 MX$18.04

92.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.51 ISK 1,655

$3.97 MX$69.1

240.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.29 ISK 2,852

$10.20 MX$178

128.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.73 ISK 457

$1.73 MX$30.04

115.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ISK 400

$2.50 MX$43.46

30.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 ISK 762

$3.14 MX$54.7

98.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 ISK 315

$2.40 MX$41.80

7.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.6 ISK 10.7K

$3.09 MX$53.7

2735.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.45 ISK 300

$1.27 MX$22.16

92.91%

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

$47.5K ISK 5.8M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

53.73%

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

$51.3K ISK 6.3M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

119.99%

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

$87.6 ISK 10.7K

$82.0 MX$1,427

6.82%

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

$27.85 ISK 3,410

$22.45 MX$391

24.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.0 ISK 10.5K

$29.66 MX$516

190.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.0 ISK 9,673

$51.9 MX$903

52.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$17.41 ISK 2,132

$4.97 MX$86.5

250.30%

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

$315 ISK 38.6K

$198 MX$3,442

59.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K ISK 3.7M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

477.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 ISK 14.5K

$36.34 MX$632

226.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 ISK 7,507

$40.05 MX$697

53.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 ISK 22.2K

$79.9 MX$1,390

127.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$269 ISK 32.9K

$88.9 MX$1,547

202.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 ISK 178.3K

$465 MX$8,086

213.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,643 ISK 323.7K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

118.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,981 ISK 487.6K

$720 MX$12.5K

452.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.63

11.42

-15.67%

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

Last update for Njardvik: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Njardvik pays 453% 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: $95.0 in Njardvik vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $594 vs $251 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

Njardvik vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Njardvik pays 453% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 137% higher in Njardvik. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,074 per month in Njardvik versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,074 in Njardvik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Njardvik. 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 Njardvik, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Njardvik 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 139% less than in Njardvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.