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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,682 in Fredrikstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,010 in Fredrikstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,338 in Fredrikstad.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 53% less than in Fredrikstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Fredrikstad is 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$17.97 NOK 173

-33.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$114 NOK 1,094

-63.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$11.91 NOK 115

-9.74%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$5.34 NOK 51.5

-34.46%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$3.97 NOK 38.25

-63.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.74 NOK 26.47

-67.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$11.01 NOK 106

-73.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$10.29 NOK 99.3

-56.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.19 NOK 21.09

-34.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$4.25 NOK 41.02

-56.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.27 NOK 31.54

-51.99%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$5.22 NOK 50.4

-51.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.78 NOK 114

-29.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$16.02 NOK 155

-47.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$34.17 NOK 330

-68.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$4.51 NOK 43.50

-42.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$3.52 NOK 33.95

-59.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$4.50 NOK 43.39

-56.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$5.04 NOK 48.63

-58.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.75 NOK 26.52

-32.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.66 NOK 25.64

-18.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.64 NOK 25.50

-60.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.85 NOK 17.81

-42.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$14.87 NOK 143

-72.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$21.86 NOK 211

-53.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$3.43 NOK 33.04

-51.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$6.11 NOK 59.0

-58.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$3.87 NOK 37.35

-86.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$63.7 NOK 614

-59.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$6.22 NOK 60.0

-48.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.46 NOK 14.04

65.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$52.3 NOK 504

-93.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.27 NOK 21.93

-41.85%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$35.1K NOK 338.3K

-15.36%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$39.1K NOK 377.0K

-39.47%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$339 NOK 3,272

-75.83%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$37.93 NOK 366

-39.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$57.0 NOK 550

-47.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$48.85 NOK 471

6.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$39.15 NOK 377

-52.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$22.16 NOK 214

-77.53%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$284 NOK 2,737

-30.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$10.2K NOK 98.3K

-47.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$154 NOK 1,484

-76.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$60.2 NOK 581

-33.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$166 NOK 1,605

-52.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$133 NOK 1,279

-32.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,266 NOK 12.2K

-25.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$943 NOK 9,096

-49.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$2,100 NOK 20.3K

-21.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,541 NOK 14.9K

-21.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$5,874 NOK 56.6K

-30.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$3,915 NOK 37.8K

65.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$3,227 NOK 31.1K

-79.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.25

168.71%

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 Fredrikstad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $1,266 in Fredrikstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fredrikstad pays 393% 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 $114 in Fredrikstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $523 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 Fredrikstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 393% lower in Fredrikstad. 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,266 in Fredrikstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $284 in Fredrikstad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 110% higher in Fredrikstad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,682 in Fredrikstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fredrikstad. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fredrikstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Fredrikstad 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 114% less than in Fredrikstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.