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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,812 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,929 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,045 in Arendal.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 55% less than in Arendal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Arendal is 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$20.31 NOK 191

-42.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$67.9 NOK 640

-30.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$16.13 NOK 152

-26.35%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$5.59 NOK 52.7

-28.80%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$3.62 NOK 34.12

-60.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$3.23 NOK 30.45

-74.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$11.95 NOK 113

-73.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$12.45 NOK 117

-45.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.43 NOK 22.89

-30.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.58 NOK 33.73

-38.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.89 NOK 36.66

-56.04%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$5.01 NOK 47.20

-45.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$14.93 NOK 141

-35.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$14.73 NOK 139

-38.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$33.89 NOK 319

-62.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.68 NOK 34.66

-21.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.87 NOK 27.03

-47.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.57 NOK 33.63

-39.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.90 NOK 46.16

-53.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.64 NOK 24.84

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.12 NOK 29.44

-36.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.77 NOK 26.11

-55.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.41 NOK 22.71

-50.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$17.64 NOK 166

-74.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$14.94 NOK 141

-30.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$3.66 NOK 34.46

-55.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.59 NOK 43.21

-37.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$3.72 NOK 35.06

-83.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$93.3 NOK 879

-69.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$6.37 NOK 60.0

-15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.74 NOK 16.41

114.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$107 NOK 1,010

-94.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.25 NOK 21.22

-31.56%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$49.0K NOK 461.4K

-53.95%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$42.7K NOK 402.6K

-39.02%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$252 NOK 2,374

-63.74%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$36.14 NOK 341

-30.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$80.2 NOK 755

-61.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$38.02 NOK 358

76.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$15.79 NOK 149

-69.22%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$333 NOK 3,136

-32.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$14.5K NOK 136.9K

-70.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$129 NOK 1,216

-63.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$44.75 NOK 422

-1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$130 NOK 1,222

-38.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$204 NOK 1,924

-54.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,139 NOK 10.7K

-6.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,067 NOK 10.1K

-63.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,581 NOK 14.9K

35.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,504 NOK 14.2K

-15.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$4,308 NOK 40.6K

-7.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$3,230 NOK 30.4K

101.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$4,248 NOK 40.0K

-82.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.68

144.66%

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 Arendal: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,139 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arendal pays 460% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $68.0 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $502 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 Arendal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Arendal differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $2,812 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 460% lower in Arendal. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,139 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $333 in Arendal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Arendal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,812 in Arendal, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Arendal. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Arendal 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 122% less than in Arendal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.