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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,845 in Asker, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,037 in Asker, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,229 in Asker, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 55% cheaper than Asker, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Asker is 107% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$21.78 NOK 202

-46.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$63.0 NOK 586

-26.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$12.60 NOK 117

-7.54%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$6.05 NOK 56.2

-32.40%

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

$1.37 MX$23.21

$2.91 NOK 27.02

-52.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.08

$1.88 NOK 17.49

-55.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$11.69 NOK 109

-71.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$11.86 NOK 110

-41.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.16

$2.36 NOK 21.92

-26.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.17

$3.46 NOK 32.20

-34.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.88

$3.81 NOK 35.43

-53.54%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.14

$3.67 NOK 34.13

-25.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$3.78 NOK 35.17

142.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$11.60 NOK 108

-23.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$8.81 NOK 81.9

43.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$3.47 NOK 32.22

-12.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.52

$2.78 NOK 25.84

-43.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.89

$3.57 NOK 33.17

-40.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.23

$4.72 NOK 43.85

-52.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.84

$2.71 NOK 25.21

-26.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.86

$2.94 NOK 27.36

-29.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.92

$1.59 NOK 14.81

-25.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.33

$2.20 NOK 20.45

-45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$18.95 NOK 176

-75.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$16.69 NOK 155

-35.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.35

$3.45 NOK 32.04

-53.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.65

$4.22 NOK 39.28

-31.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$4.76 NOK 44.28

-88.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$84.2 NOK 782

-64.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.0

$12.31 NOK 114

-55.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.83 NOK 16.97

102.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$70.3 NOK 654

-91.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.23

$2.34 NOK 21.75

-33.76%

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

$22.3K MX$377.0K

$48.5K NOK 450.8K

-53.95%

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

$25.9K MX$438.2K

$45.3K NOK 421.4K

-42.74%

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

$89.1 MX$1,505

$431 NOK 4,005

-79.31%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$31.79 NOK 296

-21.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$32.28 NOK 300

-2.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$50.7 NOK 472

33.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$37.57 NOK 349

-23.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$15.98 NOK 149

-68.40%

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

$225 MX$3,798

$248 NOK 2,304

-9.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$16.1K NOK 149.8K

-73.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$101 NOK 940

-53.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$62.5 NOK 581

-28.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$136 NOK 1,262

-39.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$160 NOK 1,483

-42.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,532 NOK 14.2K

-30.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,844

$1,179 NOK 11.0K

-65.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$2,182 NOK 20.3K

-11.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,820 NOK 16.9K

-28.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$6,529 NOK 60.7K

-38.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.9K

$4,295 NOK 39.9K

54.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$3,963 NOK 36.8K

-81.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.87

195.87%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Asker: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 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 429% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $63.0 in Asker. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $362 – 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 120% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,268 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 $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $248 in Asker. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $1,293, than in Asker at $2,845. 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 $1,293 versus $2,845 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.