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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,710 in Asker, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,047 in Asker, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,383 in Asker, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Asker, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Asker is 103% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$25.03 NOK 241

-52.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$102 NOK 981

-58.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$13.45 NOK 130

-20.07%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$5.06 NOK 48.82

-30.83%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.63 NOK 25.36

-44.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.20 NOK 21.17

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$10.98 NOK 106

-73.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$9.67 NOK 93.3

-53.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.10 NOK 20.27

-31.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.28 NOK 31.61

-43.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.60 NOK 34.75

-56.39%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$4.29 NOK 41.35

-41.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.54 NOK 111

-28.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$14.14 NOK 136

-40.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$31.04 NOK 299

-65.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.67 NOK 35.39

-28.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.59 NOK 25.01

-44.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.43 NOK 33.03

-42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$4.47 NOK 43.08

-53.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.46 NOK 23.73

-24.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.49 NOK 24.00

-12.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.76 NOK 26.65

-62.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.98 NOK 19.05

-45.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$14.00 NOK 135

-70.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$18.05 NOK 174

-43.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$3.44 NOK 33.20

-51.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$4.33 NOK 41.76

-41.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$4.36 NOK 42.09

-88.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$78.6 NOK 757

-66.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$10.03 NOK 96.7

-67.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.44 NOK 13.88

67.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$42.38 NOK 409

-92.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.24 NOK 21.58

-41.07%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$36.5K NOK 352.4K

-18.75%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$41.8K NOK 403.1K

-43.40%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$215 NOK 2,074

-61.87%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$31.43 NOK 303

-26.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$37.26 NOK 359

-19.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$50.2 NOK 484

3.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$35.77 NOK 345

-48.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$14.81 NOK 143

-66.37%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$272 NOK 2,623

-27.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$14.7K NOK 141.3K

-63.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$104 NOK 1,001

-65.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$47.03 NOK 453

-14.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$124 NOK 1,193

-36.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$152 NOK 1,463

-41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,532 NOK 14.8K

-38.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$1,199 NOK 11.6K

-60.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$2,188 NOK 21.1K

-24.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,762 NOK 17.0K

-31.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$9,406 NOK 90.7K

-56.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$3,932 NOK 37.9K

64.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$3,720 NOK 35.9K

-82.42%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Asker: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,532 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 469% 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 $102 in Asker. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $463 – 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 116% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,065 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $272 in Asker. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% 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 $1,256, than in Asker at $2,710. 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 $1,256 versus $2,710 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.