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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,725 in Åndalsnes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,128 in Åndalsnes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,531 in Åndalsnes.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 54% less than in Åndalsnes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Åndalsnes is 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$21.22 NOK 200

-45.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$109 NOK 1,025

-56.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$16.17 NOK 152

-26.53%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$5.80 NOK 54.6

-31.38%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$5.66 NOK 53.3

-74.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$4.40 NOK 41.48

-81.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$13.48 NOK 127

-76.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$12.95 NOK 122

-47.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$2.61 NOK 24.56

-35.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$3.43 NOK 32.36

-35.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$3.85 NOK 36.26

-55.58%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$4.84 NOK 45.59

-43.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$13.12 NOK 124

-26.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$16.56 NOK 156

-45.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$32.27 NOK 304

-60.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$4.06 NOK 38.25

-28.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$3.01 NOK 28.34

-50.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$3.97 NOK 37.44

-45.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$5.60 NOK 52.8

-59.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$3.00 NOK 28.30

-34.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$3.09 NOK 29.15

-35.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$2.98 NOK 28.05

-58.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$2.36 NOK 22.23

-49.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$17.77 NOK 167

-74.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$18.78 NOK 177

-44.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$3.71 NOK 34.92

-56.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$4.51 NOK 42.50

-36.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$5.11 NOK 48.14

-88.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$86.5 NOK 815

-66.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$9.70 NOK 91.4

-44.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.65 NOK 15.51

126.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$61.6 NOK 580

-90.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$2.29 NOK 21.53

-32.75%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$47.0K NOK 443.2K

-52.07%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$46.8K NOK 440.7K

-44.30%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$273 NOK 2,569

-66.49%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$21.18 NOK 199

18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$82.3 NOK 776

-62.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$44.82 NOK 422

49.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$35.61 NOK 335

-18.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$21.01 NOK 198

-76.87%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$302 NOK 2,842

-25.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$4,415 NOK 41.6K

-4.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$109 NOK 1,029

-56.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$52.0 NOK 490

-14.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$121 NOK 1,142

-33.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$163 NOK 1,532

-43.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$1,159 NOK 10.9K

-8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$988 NOK 9,308

-60.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$1,972 NOK 18.6K

8.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$1,840 NOK 17.3K

-30.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$6,695 NOK 63.1K

-40.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$4,269 NOK 40.2K

52.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.32

115.23%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Åndalsnes: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,159 in Åndalsnes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $109 in Åndalsnes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $517 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 115% lower than in Åndalsnes. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $4,088 in Åndalsnes 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,159 in Åndalsnes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,725 in Åndalsnes – a 115% 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 200% less than in Åndalsnes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,725 in Åndalsnes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Åndalsnes. 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, Playa del Carmen and Åndalsnes 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 115% less than in Åndalsnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.