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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,198 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,317 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,436 in Arendal.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 41% less than in Arendal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Arendal is 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$18.13 NOK 169

-34.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$77.1 NOK 719

-44.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$15.21 NOK 142

-30.37%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$5.13 NOK 47.77

-29.43%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$3.21 NOK 29.92

-54.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$3.02 NOK 28.12

-68.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$11.12 NOK 104

-72.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$9.96 NOK 92.9

-55.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.38 NOK 22.18

-39.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.05 NOK 28.46

-38.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.58 NOK 33.38

-54.47%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.47 NOK 41.70

-40.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$13.01 NOK 121

-36.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$15.35 NOK 143

-45.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$27.55 NOK 257

-59.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.56 NOK 33.17

-25.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.53 NOK 23.62

-40.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.96 NOK 27.56

-32.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.62 NOK 43.05

-54.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.13 NOK 19.89

-15.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.95 NOK 27.45

-26.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.50 NOK 23.31

-56.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.83 NOK 17.10

-43.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$15.15 NOK 141

-73.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$17.88 NOK 167

-42.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$3.38 NOK 31.47

-48.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.95 NOK 36.84

-36.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.88 NOK 36.17

-86.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$103 NOK 958

-73.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$7.95 NOK 74.1

-60.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.08 NOK 19.36

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$30.62 NOK 285

-89.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.05 NOK 19.12

-38.05%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$34.0K NOK 316.9K

-9.18%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$32.6K NOK 303.5K

-28.40%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$190 NOK 1,770

-56.83%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$35.04 NOK 327

-35.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$72.4 NOK 674

-59.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$43.18 NOK 402

20.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$52.4 NOK 488

-64.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$11.94 NOK 111

-58.38%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$302 NOK 2,813

-34.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$10.3K NOK 95.8K

-48.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$97.5 NOK 909

-62.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$58.5 NOK 545

-31.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$104 NOK 971

-23.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$157 NOK 1,462

-43.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,080 NOK 10.1K

-10.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$710 NOK 6,615

-34.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,327 NOK 12.4K

20.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,127 NOK 10.5K

7.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$3,225 NOK 30.1K

22.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$2,152 NOK 20.1K

199.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$4,277 NOK 39.9K

-83.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.6

217.22%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Arendal: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,080 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arendal pays 494% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $77.0 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $458 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 71% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $2,198 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Arendal earns 494% less. 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,080 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $302 in Arendal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Arendal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,198 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 71% less than in Arendal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.