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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,217 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,795 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,373 in Grimstad.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 41% less than in Grimstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Grimstad is 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$21.54 NOK 200

-44.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$79.4 NOK 738

-40.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$15.52 NOK 144

-24.29%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$4.83 NOK 44.89

-14.70%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$4.34 NOK 40.32

-67.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$3.52 NOK 32.72

-74.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$11.77 NOK 109

-72.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$10.92 NOK 101

-35.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$2.60 NOK 24.13

-35.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$3.76 NOK 34.89

-42.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$3.15 NOK 29.25

-43.81%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$3.62 NOK 33.61

-22.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.35 NOK 124

-31.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$14.60 NOK 136

-36.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$25.16 NOK 234

-49.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.18 NOK 20.28

35.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$2.38 NOK 22.13

-33.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$3.50 NOK 32.53

-36.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$4.41 NOK 40.96

-46.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$2.78 NOK 25.85

-28.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$2.98 NOK 27.69

-33.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$3.20 NOK 29.76

-61.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$1.93 NOK 17.96

-37.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$19.65 NOK 183

-76.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$15.93 NOK 148

-33.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$3.48 NOK 32.34

-51.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$4.44 NOK 41.24

-37.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$5.53 NOK 51.4

-89.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

$95.2 NOK 885

-68.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$12.33 NOK 115

-57.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$1.85 NOK 17.15

97.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$71.1 NOK 660

-91.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$2.25 NOK 20.91

-31.56%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$49.3K NOK 457.6K

-53.71%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$46.3K NOK 429.7K

-44.20%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$317 NOK 2,947

-71.42%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$33.46 NOK 311

-24.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$57.6 NOK 535

-44.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$43.15 NOK 401

59.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$16.42 NOK 153

-70.40%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$254 NOK 2,358

-11.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$16.3K NOK 151.2K

-74.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$97.7 NOK 908

-51.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$54.4 NOK 505

-20.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$108 NOK 999

-25.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$158 NOK 1,469

-42.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$919 NOK 8,541

18.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

$535 NOK 4,971

-23.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,988 NOK 18.5K

-0.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$1,829 NOK 17.0K

-29.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$4,773 NOK 44.3K

-15.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

$3,457 NOK 32.1K

93.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$4,632 NOK 43.0K

-83.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.9

133.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $919 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 499% 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 $79.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $449 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 499% 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $919 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,217 in Grimstad – a 70% 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 221% less than in Grimstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,217 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 70% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.