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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,769 in Asker, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,059 in Asker, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,349 in Asker, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 53% cheaper than Asker, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Asker is 107% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$25.67 NOK 238

-54.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$100 NOK 932

-58.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$13.60 NOK 126

-21.76%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$5.10 NOK 47.37

-30.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.62 NOK 24.34

-42.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.12 NOK 19.67

-54.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$11.19 NOK 104

-73.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$9.77 NOK 90.8

-54.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.12 NOK 19.65

-34.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.45 NOK 32.07

-45.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.63 NOK 33.71

-54.82%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.22 NOK 39.19

-40.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.22 NOK 104

-25.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$13.99 NOK 130

-40.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$31.40 NOK 292

-65.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.81 NOK 35.35

-31.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.63 NOK 24.46

-44.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.37 NOK 31.33

-43.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.27 NOK 39.64

-51.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.43 NOK 22.58

-26.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.49 NOK 23.12

-12.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.88 NOK 26.74

-63.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.97 NOK 18.33

-45.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$14.24 NOK 132

-71.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$18.97 NOK 176

-45.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$3.39 NOK 31.47

-49.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.27 NOK 39.70

-39.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$4.29 NOK 39.82

-88.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$76.9 NOK 714

-65.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$10.04 NOK 93.3

-67.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.41 NOK 13.09

76.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$42.16 NOK 392

-92.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.27 NOK 21.12

-42.29%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$36.7K NOK 340.9K

-17.48%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$43.2K NOK 401.0K

-45.72%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$221 NOK 2,055

-62.54%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$31.02 NOK 288

-28.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$37.18 NOK 345

-21.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$49.09 NOK 456

5.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.91 NOK 334

-48.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$14.68 NOK 136

-65.46%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$274 NOK 2,542

-26.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$14.7K NOK 136.6K

-64.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$103 NOK 955

-64.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$47.74 NOK 443

-16.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$124 NOK 1,150

-36.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$154 NOK 1,434

-43.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,542 NOK 14.3K

-36.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,200 NOK 11.2K

-61.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,251 NOK 20.9K

-27.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,744 NOK 16.2K

-30.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$10.2K NOK 94.5K

-61.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$8,949 NOK 83.1K

-27.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,041 NOK 37.5K

-83.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.38

160.73%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Asker: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,542 in Asker. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 509% higher in Asker, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $100 in Asker. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $465 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Asker: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Asker costs about 114% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,153 in Asker. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $274 in Asker. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 87% more in Asker, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Asker at $2,769. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $2,769 in Asker. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Asker makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.