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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,557 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,928 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,298 in Baerum, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 51% cheaper than Baerum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Baerum is 91% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$25.61 NOK 247

-53.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$102 NOK 984

-59.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$13.15 NOK 127

-18.25%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$4.98 NOK 47.99

-29.72%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.52 NOK 24.32

-42.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.16 NOK 20.87

-59.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$8.84 NOK 85.3

-66.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$9.47 NOK 91.3

-52.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.29 NOK 22.04

-37.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.58 NOK 34.52

-48.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.21 NOK 30.93

-51.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$4.97 NOK 47.96

-49.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.42 NOK 110

-27.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$16.31 NOK 157

-48.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$31.23 NOK 301

-65.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.56 NOK 34.29

-26.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.33 NOK 22.45

-38.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.27 NOK 31.55

-40.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$3.98 NOK 38.42

-47.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.21 NOK 21.29

-16.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.14 NOK 20.68

1.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.83 NOK 27.30

-63.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.83 NOK 17.60

-41.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$14.10 NOK 136

-70.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$18.21 NOK 176

-44.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$3.49 NOK 33.62

-51.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$4.01 NOK 38.71

-36.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$4.15 NOK 40.00

-87.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$72.7 NOK 701

-64.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$10.29 NOK 99.2

-68.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.41 NOK 13.55

70.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$42.77 NOK 412

-92.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.12 NOK 20.43

-37.74%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$26.8K NOK 258.6K

10.74%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$24.3K NOK 234.2K

-2.56%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$306 NOK 2,952

-73.21%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$40.10 NOK 387

-42.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$38.04 NOK 367

-20.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$50.3 NOK 485

3.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$35.74 NOK 345

-48.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$15.21 NOK 147

-67.26%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$272 NOK 2,625

-27.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$14.6K NOK 141.0K

-63.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$105 NOK 1,015

-66.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$46.64 NOK 450

-13.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$99.4 NOK 959

-20.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$152 NOK 1,467

-41.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,232 NOK 11.9K

-23.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$909 NOK 8,768

-47.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$2,148 NOK 20.7K

-23.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,608 NOK 15.5K

-24.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$5,734 NOK 55.3K

-29.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$3,915 NOK 37.8K

65.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$5,193 NOK 50.1K

-87.41%

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 Baerum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,232 in Baerum. 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 694% higher in Baerum, 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 Baerum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $472 – 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 Baerum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Baerum is pricier by about 104%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,836 in Baerum. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $2,557 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 179% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Baerum at $2,557. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baerum it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Baerum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.