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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,212 in Drammen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,324 in Drammen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,437 in Drammen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 43% cheaper than Drammen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Drammen is 66% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$20.63 NOK 199

-41.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$74.8 NOK 721

-44.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$13.18 NOK 127

-18.44%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$4.73 NOK 45.63

-26.00%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.45 NOK 23.64

-40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.68 NOK 25.80

-67.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$8.14 NOK 78.5

-63.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$6.23 NOK 60.1

-27.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.11 NOK 20.32

-32.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.13 NOK 30.17

-41.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.32 NOK 32.00

-52.71%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$4.19 NOK 40.41

-40.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.24 NOK 108

-26.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$13.19 NOK 127

-36.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$17.36 NOK 167

-38.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.95 NOK 18.81

33.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.26 NOK 21.75

-36.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.29 NOK 31.71

-40.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$3.79 NOK 36.51

-44.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.30 NOK 22.22

-19.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.34 NOK 12.90

61.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.79 NOK 17.23

-42.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.83 NOK 17.69

-41.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$14.30 NOK 138

-71.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$12.44 NOK 120

-18.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.93 NOK 28.29

-42.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$4.08 NOK 39.37

-37.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$2.83 NOK 27.26

-81.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$76.5 NOK 737

-65.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$10.25 NOK 98.8

-68.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.22 NOK 11.73

97.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$99.6 NOK 960

-96.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.16 NOK 20.84

-38.89%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$41.1K NOK 396.1K

-27.70%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$39.1K NOK 377.1K

-39.49%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$218 NOK 2,103

-62.39%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$43.27 NOK 417

-46.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$37.61 NOK 363

-19.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$84.5 NOK 815

-38.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$35.41 NOK 341

-47.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$15.17 NOK 146

-67.17%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$302 NOK 2,909

-34.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$10.1K NOK 97.6K

-47.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$97.2 NOK 937

-63.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$24.93 NOK 240

61.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$101 NOK 971

-21.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$144 NOK 1,391

-38.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$942 NOK 9,081

0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$769 NOK 7,415

-38.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,460 NOK 14.1K

12.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,366 NOK 13.2K

-11.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$10.3K NOK 99.7K

-60.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$6,145 NOK 59.3K

5.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$3,527 NOK 34.0K

-81.46%

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 Drammen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $942 in Drammen. 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 439% higher in Drammen, 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 $75.0 in Drammen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $376 – 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 Drammen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $2,212 in Drammen – roughly 76% apart. Drammen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,318 in Drammen. 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 $302 in Drammen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Drammen, 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 Drammen at $2,212. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drammen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $2,212 in Drammen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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