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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,030 in Fredrikstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,355 in Fredrikstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,681 in Fredrikstad.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 57% less than in Fredrikstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Fredrikstad is 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$199

$23.41 NOK 218

-49.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$791

$119 NOK 1,110

-60.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$198

$12.56 NOK 117

-7.25%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.5

$6.72 NOK 62.6

-39.14%

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

$1.37 MX$23.34

$5.87 NOK 54.7

-76.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.16

$4.60 NOK 42.82

-81.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

$12.33 NOK 115

-72.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$9.41 NOK 87.7

-26.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.33

$2.42 NOK 22.54

-28.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.39

$4.34 NOK 40.42

-47.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.05

$3.56 NOK 33.13

-50.28%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.41

$6.10 NOK 56.9

-55.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$13.26 NOK 124

-30.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$18.44 NOK 172

-51.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$35.83 NOK 334

-64.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

$4.68 NOK 43.62

-35.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$3.55 NOK 33.03

-55.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.10

$4.46 NOK 41.58

-52.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.46

$5.21 NOK 48.57

-56.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

$2.95 NOK 27.45

-32.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

$2.83 NOK 26.35

-27.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.04

$2.96 NOK 27.61

-60.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.45

$2.40 NOK 22.37

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.7

$16.07 NOK 150

-71.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

$22.17 NOK 207

-51.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

$3.58 NOK 33.35

-54.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

$4.28 NOK 39.88

-32.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

$4.16 NOK 38.72

-86.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

$66.8 NOK 622

-55.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

$12.99 NOK 121

-58.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

$1.69 NOK 15.76

118.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

$72.7 NOK 677

-91.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$2.39 NOK 22.29

-35.15%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

$42.7K NOK 397.8K

-47.71%

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

$50.0K NOK 466.3K

-48.15%

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

$89.1 MX$1,514

$338 NOK 3,153

-73.66%

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

$25.04 MX$425

$46.68 NOK 435

-46.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$535

$66.5 NOK 619

-52.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

$59.1 NOK 550

14.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

$41.58 NOK 387

-30.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

$20.69 NOK 193

-75.59%

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

$225 MX$3,820

$174 NOK 1,621

29.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

$11.1K NOK 103.3K

-61.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

$162 NOK 1,508

-70.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

$79.4 NOK 740

-43.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,392

$144 NOK 1,343

-43.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

$114 NOK 1,061

-19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$1,391 NOK 13.0K

-23.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

$1,125 NOK 10.5K

-63.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

$1,851 NOK 17.2K

4.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

$1,510 NOK 14.1K

-13.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

$6,312 NOK 58.8K

-36.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

$4,204 NOK 39.2K

57.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$3,454 NOK 32.2K

-78.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.95

131.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Fredrikstad: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $1,391 in Fredrikstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fredrikstad pays 361% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $119 in Fredrikstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $560 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 134% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 361% 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,391 in Fredrikstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 in Playa del Carmen versus $174 in Fredrikstad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Fredrikstad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,030 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 134% less than in Fredrikstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.