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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,258 in Elverum, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,476 in Elverum, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,693 in Elverum, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Elverum is 69% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$22.46 NOK 209

-47.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$102 NOK 952

-59.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$11.48 NOK 107

-7.32%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.67 NOK 43.39

-24.63%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$3.55 NOK 33.02

-57.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.99 NOK 27.78

-67.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$10.79 NOK 100

-72.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$8.03 NOK 74.6

-44.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.08 NOK 10.06

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.57 NOK 33.17

-47.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.92 NOK 36.39

-58.16%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.80 NOK 16.76

39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.27 NOK 67.5

14.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.95 NOK 111

-30.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$25.08 NOK 233

-57.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.03 NOK 9.55

152.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.89 NOK 26.82

-49.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.56 NOK 14.45

21.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.49 NOK 13.88

39.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.03 NOK 9.60

72.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.99 NOK 9.21

121.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.49 NOK 23.15

-58.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.53 NOK 23.53

-57.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$14.48 NOK 135

-71.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$18.71 NOK 174

-44.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$3.80 NOK 35.34

-55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.62 NOK 42.88

-44.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$4.35 NOK 40.45

-88.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$73.7 NOK 685

-64.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$15.15 NOK 141

-78.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.15 NOK 20.01

15.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$87.0 NOK 808

-96.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.19 NOK 20.35

-40.18%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$32.4K NOK 301.1K

-6.59%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$35.5K NOK 329.4K

-33.92%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$101 NOK 935

-17.68%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$41.61 NOK 387

-46.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$64.7 NOK 601

-54.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$49.85 NOK 463

3.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.05 NOK 326

-47.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.97 NOK 111

-57.64%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$319 NOK 2,961

-36.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$8,623 NOK 80.1K

-39.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$111 NOK 1,031

-66.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$49.29 NOK 458

-19.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$126 NOK 1,169

-37.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$129 NOK 1,202

-32.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,203 NOK 11.2K

-19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$910 NOK 8,453

-48.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,802 NOK 16.7K

-8.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,513 NOK 14.1K

-19.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$6,127 NOK 56.9K

-35.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$4,578 NOK 42.5K

41.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,399 NOK 40.9K

-84.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.32

164.35%

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 Elverum: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,203 in Elverum. 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 563% higher in Elverum, 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 Elverum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $373 – 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 Elverum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Elverum is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,387 in Elverum. 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $319 in Elverum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Elverum, 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 $1,297, than in Elverum at $2,258. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Elverum 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, Elverum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.