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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,419 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,510 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,601 in Grimstad.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 48% less than in Grimstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Grimstad is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$22.86 NOK 220

-47.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$51.4 NOK 495

-18.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$14.51 NOK 140

-25.91%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$4.64 NOK 44.71

-24.57%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$4.11 NOK 39.60

-64.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$3.31 NOK 31.88

-73.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$12.28 NOK 118

-75.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$10.26 NOK 99.0

-56.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.38 NOK 23.00

-39.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.19 NOK 30.71

-42.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.01 NOK 29.03

-47.84%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$3.14 NOK 30.30

-20.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.62 NOK 102

-22.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$13.86 NOK 134

-39.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$16.46 NOK 159

-35.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.96 NOK 18.94

33.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.31 NOK 22.31

-37.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.36 NOK 32.38

-41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$4.16 NOK 40.08

-49.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.55 NOK 24.56

-27.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.59 NOK 24.99

-16.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.82 NOK 27.23

-63.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.79 NOK 17.22

-40.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$17.50 NOK 169

-76.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$15.11 NOK 146

-32.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$3.44 NOK 33.17

-51.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$4.24 NOK 40.92

-40.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$4.99 NOK 48.08

-89.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$75.6 NOK 729

-65.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$10.28 NOK 99.1

-68.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.38 NOK 13.28

74.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$43.03 NOK 415

-92.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.29 NOK 22.08

-42.36%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$35.7K NOK 344.2K

-16.80%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$43.4K NOK 419.0K

-45.54%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$301 NOK 2,906

-72.79%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$27.66 NOK 267

-17.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$56.2 NOK 542

-46.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$48.46 NOK 467

7.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$36.04 NOK 347

-48.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$15.25 NOK 147

-67.34%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$266 NOK 2,563

-25.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$14.7K NOK 141.9K

-63.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$49.94 NOK 482

-28.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$59.8 NOK 576

-32.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$99.5 NOK 959

-20.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$163 NOK 1,572

-45.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,218 NOK 11.7K

-22.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$883 NOK 8,517

-46.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,843 NOK 17.8K

-10.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,565 NOK 15.1K

-22.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$4,625 NOK 44.6K

-12.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$3,233 NOK 31.2K

100.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$4,383 NOK 42.3K

-85.08%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $1,218 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 570% 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 $390 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 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 570% lower in Grimstad. 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 $1,218 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,419 in Grimstad – a 93% 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,419 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 93% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.