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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,908 in Askim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,386 in Askim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,865 in Askim.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Askim is 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$21.05 NOK 195

-43.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$130 NOK 1,208

-63.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$16.15 NOK 150

-27.24%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.95 NOK 55.2

-30.76%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$4.14 NOK 38.36

-66.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$3.47 NOK 32.19

-73.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$11.63 NOK 108

-72.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$12.93 NOK 120

-45.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.55 NOK 23.65

-34.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$4.27 NOK 39.57

-49.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$4.70 NOK 43.62

-62.34%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$6.22 NOK 57.7

-54.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$15.14 NOK 140

-39.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$15.36 NOK 143

-39.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$29.73 NOK 276

-57.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.35 NOK 31.08

-11.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.71 NOK 25.16

-41.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.45 NOK 32.04

-35.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$6.15 NOK 57.0

-61.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.65 NOK 24.60

-24.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.99 NOK 27.73

-33.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$3.23 NOK 29.97

-61.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$2.45 NOK 22.68

-50.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$19.06 NOK 177

-75.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$17.14 NOK 159

-38.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$3.58 NOK 33.18

-52.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.29 NOK 39.84

-35.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$4.58 NOK 42.48

-86.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$84.8 NOK 787

-64.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$12.31 NOK 114

-57.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.90 NOK 17.62

92.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$71.1 NOK 660

-91.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$2.36 NOK 21.87

-34.75%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$49.3K NOK 457.0K

-53.71%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$38.8K NOK 359.6K

-33.41%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$426 NOK 3,954

-78.73%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$32.58 NOK 302

-22.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$56.7 NOK 526

-44.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$50.1 NOK 465

37.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$37.99 NOK 352

-22.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$16.36 NOK 152

-70.29%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$246 NOK 2,278

-8.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$16.1K NOK 149.8K

-74.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$104 NOK 969

-54.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$61.2 NOK 568

-29.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$138 NOK 1,283

-42.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$158 NOK 1,465

-42.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,233 NOK 11.4K

-11.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,022 NOK 9,480

-60.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$2,015 NOK 18.7K

-2.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,708 NOK 15.8K

-24.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$6,526 NOK 60.5K

-38.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$4,254 NOK 39.5K

57.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$4,325 NOK 40.1K

-82.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.96

130.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Askim: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $1,233 in Askim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 459% 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 $130 in Askim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $518 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 Askim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Askim differ by about 123% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $2,908 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 459% lower in Askim. 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,233 in Askim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $130 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,908 in Askim – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,908 in Askim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Askim. 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 Askim 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 123% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.