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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,644 in Askim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,074 in Askim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,504 in Askim.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 51% less than in Askim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Askim is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$25.27 NOK 239

-53.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$123 NOK 1,167

-66.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$14.94 NOK 141

-28.78%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

$5.00 NOK 47.23

-29.60%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$4.24 NOK 40.10

-64.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$3.30 NOK 31.20

-70.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$12.07 NOK 114

-75.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$10.91 NOK 103

-59.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$2.29 NOK 21.63

-39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$4.13 NOK 39.02

-54.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$3.50 NOK 33.06

-53.14%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$4.94 NOK 46.73

-49.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$13.25 NOK 125

-37.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$16.10 NOK 152

-48.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$30.60 NOK 289

-64.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.48

$3.48 NOK 32.94

-25.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$2.64 NOK 25.00

-44.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$3.33 NOK 31.45

-42.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$4.87 NOK 46.08

-57.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$2.45 NOK 23.18

-27.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$2.70 NOK 25.55

-18.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$2.78 NOK 26.30

-62.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$2.33 NOK 22.03

-53.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$17.13 NOK 162

-76.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$19.37 NOK 183

-46.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$3.33 NOK 31.48

-48.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.98

$4.36 NOK 41.19

-40.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$4.36 NOK 41.25

-88.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$73.0 NOK 690

-63.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$10.22 NOK 96.6

-68.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

$1.45 NOK 13.72

71.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$42.74 NOK 404

-92.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$2.27 NOK 21.50

-42.29%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$36.0K NOK 340.2K

-15.86%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$35.7K NOK 337.8K

-34.42%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$296 NOK 2,800

-72.03%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$31.59 NOK 299

-29.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$56.3 NOK 532

-47.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$48.61 NOK 460

6.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$35.49 NOK 335

-48.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$15.31 NOK 145

-66.88%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$272 NOK 2,567

-26.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$14.7K NOK 138.6K

-64.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$104 NOK 981

-64.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$67.0 NOK 633

-40.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$124 NOK 1,174

-36.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$164 NOK 1,549

-46.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$1,217 NOK 11.5K

-20.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,169

$895 NOK 8,464

-47.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$1,809 NOK 17.1K

-9.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$1,547 NOK 14.6K

-21.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$6,040 NOK 57.1K

-34.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$4,482 NOK 42.4K

44.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$4,344 NOK 41.1K

-84.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.08

124.80%

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 Askim: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,217 in Askim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 554% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $123 in Askim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $497 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 104% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $2,644 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Askim earns 554% 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,217 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 $42.00 versus $123 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,644 in Askim – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,644 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 104% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.