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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,314 in Farsund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,518 in Farsund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,721 in Farsund.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 44% less than in Farsund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Farsund is 74% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Farsund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$202
$24.89 NOK 236
-52.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$719
$81.9 NOK 776
-48.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.41 MX$179
$12.29 NOK 116
-15.30%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.1
$5.20 NOK 49.22
-30.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 MX$25.06
$3.97 NOK 37.56
-63.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$16.70
$3.28 NOK 31.05
-70.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 MX$50.3
$10.03 NOK 95.0
-70.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62 MX$79.5
$8.25 NOK 78.2
-44.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Farsund
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.59
$2.00 NOK 18.95
-28.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 MX$32.70
$3.16 NOK 29.93
-39.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$26.95
$4.58 NOK 43.35
-65.72%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$45.34
$3.60 NOK 34.07
-26.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.44 MX$145
$11.93 NOK 113
-29.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.58 MX$148
$14.99 NOK 142
-42.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.00 MX$189
$20.57 NOK 195
-46.52%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 MX$46.51
$2.06 NOK 19.50
31.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$25.92
$1.98 NOK 18.74
-23.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.91 MX$32.93
$2.04 NOK 19.28
-6.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.37
$1.97 NOK 18.67
10.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.25
$2.04 NOK 19.32
-8.33%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.43
$1.99 NOK 18.85
12.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.60
$2.04 NOK 19.33
-47.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.47
$1.03 NOK 9.72
3.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16 MX$71.6
$10.27 NOK 97.3
-59.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.29 MX$177
$10.64 NOK 101
-3.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$28.95
$3.65 NOK 34.55
-53.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.59
$4.12 NOK 39.02
-38.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Farsund
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$9.53
$4.20 NOK 39.83
-86.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.29 MX$452
$73.2 NOK 693
-64.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$12.36 NOK 117
-74.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.37
$2.08 NOK 19.68
18.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$41.16 NOK 390
-92.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$22.72
$2.20 NOK 20.80
-40.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$518.8K
$30.1K NOK 284.9K
0.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$402.5K
$30.7K NOK 290.6K
-23.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Farsund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.4 MX$1,400
$187 NOK 1,773
-56.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.41 MX$386
$42.90 NOK 406
-47.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.97 MX$516
$19.85 NOK 188
50.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Farsund
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$887
$48.78 NOK 462
5.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$316
$35.34 NOK 335
-47.96%
Cinema Ticket
$5.16 MX$88.9
$14.98 NOK 142
-65.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Farsund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$202 MX$3,471
$318 NOK 3,008
-36.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,311 MX$91.4K
$5,054 NOK 47.9K
5.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Farsund
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.61 MX$613
$89.3 NOK 846
-60.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.37 MX$695
$30.56 NOK 289
32.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.6 MX$1,353
$99.8 NOK 946
-21.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.9 MX$1,495
$153 NOK 1,449
-43.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Farsund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$950 MX$16.3K
$1,198 NOK 11.3K
-20.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$478 MX$8,227
$905 NOK 8,568
-47.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 MX$27.9K
$1,812 NOK 17.2K
-10.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 MX$21.0K
$1,560 NOK 14.8K
-21.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,009 MX$69.0K
$5,895 NOK 55.8K
-31.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,473 MX$111.4K
$4,294 NOK 40.7K
50.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Farsund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$673 MX$11.6K
$3,043 NOK 28.8K
-77.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
3
280.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Farsund: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $1,198 in Farsund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Farsund pays 352% 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 $82.0 in Farsund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $375 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 Farsund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Farsund?
Playa del Carmen and Farsund differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($1,294 vs $2,314 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Farsund earns 352% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Farsund?
Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,198 in Farsund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Farsund?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 178% less than in Farsund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Farsund?
Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $318 in Farsund. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,314 in Farsund, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Farsund. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Farsund?
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.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Farsund?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Farsund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities