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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,376 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,522 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,667 in Grimstad.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 45% less than in Grimstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Grimstad is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$23.19 NOK 215

-49.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$50.5 NOK 469

-17.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$14.85 NOK 138

-28.35%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.59 NOK 42.64

-23.31%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$4.13 NOK 38.33

-63.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$3.30 NOK 30.64

-70.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$12.12 NOK 113

-75.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$10.08 NOK 93.7

-55.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.37 NOK 22.03

-41.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.17 NOK 29.46

-40.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.02 NOK 28.06

-45.70%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.28 NOK 30.45

-23.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.70 NOK 99.4

-22.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$13.68 NOK 127

-39.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$16.50 NOK 153

-34.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.98 NOK 18.36

31.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.34 NOK 21.70

-37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.44 NOK 31.93

-44.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.98 NOK 36.99

-47.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.51 NOK 23.31

-29.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.69 NOK 25.03

-18.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.85 NOK 26.44

-63.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.79 NOK 16.66

-39.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$17.44 NOK 162

-76.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.90 NOK 148

-35.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$3.35 NOK 31.10

-48.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.30 NOK 39.96

-40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$5.00 NOK 46.43

-89.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$76.8 NOK 714

-65.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$10.17 NOK 94.5

-67.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.45 NOK 13.51

71.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$41.98 NOK 390

-92.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.17 NOK 20.20

-39.63%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$36.0K NOK 334.7K

-15.96%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$42.7K NOK 396.4K

-45.09%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$305 NOK 2,833

-72.82%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$27.64 NOK 257

-19.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$56.3 NOK 523

-47.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$50.1 NOK 466

2.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.26 NOK 328

-48.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$14.95 NOK 139

-66.09%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$271 NOK 2,513

-25.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$14.9K NOK 138.7K

-65.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$49.92 NOK 464

-26.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$61.6 NOK 572

-35.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$100 NOK 930

-21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$163 NOK 1,517

-46.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,214 NOK 11.3K

-19.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$891 NOK 8,280

-47.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,790 NOK 16.6K

-8.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,535 NOK 14.3K

-20.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,641 NOK 43.1K

-85.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.9

133.06%

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 Grimstad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,214 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 599% 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 $51.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $391 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 Grimstad: 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 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Grimstad earns 599% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,214 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,376 in Grimstad – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 190% less than in Grimstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,376 in Grimstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Grimstad. 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 Grimstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Grimstad 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 83% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.