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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,460 in Åndalsnes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,653 in Åndalsnes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,846 in Åndalsnes.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 47% less than in Åndalsnes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Åndalsnes is 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$17.43 NOK 165

-32.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$45.97 NOK 435

-9.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$11.95 NOK 113

-12.89%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$4.60 NOK 43.59

-21.52%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$3.67 NOK 34.77

-60.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$2.94 NOK 27.83

-67.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$8.07 NOK 76.4

-63.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$10.26 NOK 97.1

-54.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.65 NOK 25.10

-46.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$3.46 NOK 32.81

-45.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$3.90 NOK 36.94

-59.74%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$4.43 NOK 41.97

-40.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$12.01 NOK 114

-29.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$15.32 NOK 145

-43.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$28.25 NOK 268

-61.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.74 NOK 35.43

-27.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.96 NOK 28.04

-48.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.66 NOK 25.17

-28.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$5.14 NOK 48.67

-57.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.91 NOK 27.55

-35.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$3.17 NOK 30.06

-29.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$3.23 NOK 30.60

-66.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$2.48 NOK 23.48

-56.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$15.36 NOK 145

-72.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$18.24 NOK 173

-43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$3.70 NOK 35.01

-54.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$4.80 NOK 45.50

-47.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$4.22 NOK 39.99

-86.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$74.8 NOK 708

-64.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$15.31 NOK 145

-79.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$2.21 NOK 20.89

11.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$89.9 NOK 852

-96.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$2.16 NOK 20.48

-38.89%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$31.3K NOK 296.9K

-3.79%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$43.0K NOK 407.6K

-45.64%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$322 NOK 3,046

-74.70%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$20.50 NOK 194

9.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$75.4 NOK 714

-60.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$50.2 NOK 475

2.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$35.84 NOK 340

-48.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$17.52 NOK 166

-70.55%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$331 NOK 3,137

-39.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$8,369 NOK 79.3K

-36.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$109 NOK 1,034

-67.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$48.44 NOK 459

-16.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$128 NOK 1,212

-38.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$129 NOK 1,221

-32.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$1,228 NOK 11.6K

-22.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$887 NOK 8,398

-46.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,788 NOK 16.9K

-9.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$1,557 NOK 14.7K

-21.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$5,526 NOK 52.3K

-27.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$4,411 NOK 41.8K

46.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.32

164.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Åndalsnes: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $1,228 in Åndalsnes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $46.00 in Åndalsnes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $487 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 90% 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 $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $3,690 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,228 in Åndalsnes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,460 in Åndalsnes – a 90% 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 184% less than in Åndalsnes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,460 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 $1,294 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 90% less than in Åndalsnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.