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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,499 in Norsup versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,290 in Norsup versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,080 in Norsup versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Norsup is roughly 176% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Norsup is 156% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$4.15 VUV 482

$1.68 MX$28.76

147.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 VUV 483

$2.20 MX$37.71

89.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 VUV 476

$1.71 MX$29.32

139.77%

Eggs

$5.00 VUV 580

$2.74 MX$47.05

82.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 VUV 1,472

$9.58 MX$164

32.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 VUV 962

$9.01 MX$155

-7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.38 VUV 1,784

$12.81 MX$220

20.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 VUV 486

$2.89 MX$49.58

44.98%

Banana (1kg)

$4.24 VUV 492

$1.50 MX$25.70

182.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 VUV 478

$2.15 MX$36.87

91.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 VUV 503

$2.26 MX$38.79

91.59%

Potato (1kg)

$4.19 VUV 486

$1.98 MX$34.00

111.62%

Onion (1kg)

$4.28 VUV 497

$1.99 MX$34.15

115.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.12 VUV 478

$1.23 MX$21.18

234.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.15 VUV 481

$1.20 MX$20.54

245.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.57 VUV 1,922

$4.55 MX$78.1

264.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 VUV 1,936

$10.37 MX$178

61.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 VUV 501

$1.62 MX$27.79

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 VUV 497

$2.88 MX$49.44

48.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

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

$25.20 MX$433

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

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

$224 MX$3,839

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,946 VUV 341.6K

$390 MX$6,698

654.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 VUV 34.0K

$758 MX$13.0K

-61.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Norsup: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 158% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 176% lower than in Norsup. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 158% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Norsup. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,499 per month in Norsup versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 176% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,499 in Norsup, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Norsup. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,266 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Norsup 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 176% less than in Norsup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.