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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,207 in Halden, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,646 in Halden, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,086 in Halden, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 41% cheaper than Halden, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Halden is 65% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$20.46 NOK 190

-42.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$100 NOK 930

-58.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$12.07 NOK 112

-11.85%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.44 NOK 41.28

-20.72%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$3.44 NOK 31.96

-56.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$3.02 NOK 28.03

-67.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$9.76 NOK 90.6

-69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$8.92 NOK 82.9

-50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.28 NOK 21.22

-39.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.07 NOK 28.51

-38.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.97 NOK 27.63

-44.78%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.08 NOK 37.86

-38.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.27 NOK 114

-32.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$14.63 NOK 136

-42.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$31.73 NOK 295

-66.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.45 NOK 32.02

-24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.50 NOK 23.24

-41.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.39 NOK 31.51

-43.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.56 NOK 42.32

-54.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.43 NOK 22.58

-26.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.68 NOK 24.88

-18.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.87 NOK 26.70

-63.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.64 NOK 15.26

-34.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$14.57 NOK 135

-72.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$17.09 NOK 159

-39.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.58 NOK 24.01

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.80 NOK 35.34

-32.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$4.26 NOK 39.56

-88.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$61.1 NOK 568

-56.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$10.10 NOK 93.8

-67.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.45 NOK 13.44

71.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$42.03 NOK 390

-92.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.12 NOK 19.70

-38.21%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$36.3K NOK 337.2K

-16.59%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$43.4K NOK 402.9K

-45.98%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$304 NOK 2,820

-72.70%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$30.26 NOK 281

-26.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$40.64 NOK 378

-27.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$53.4 NOK 496

-3.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.48 NOK 330

-48.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$15.56 NOK 145

-67.42%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$268 NOK 2,492

-25.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$14.6K NOK 135.7K

-64.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$98.0 NOK 910

-62.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$65.7 NOK 610

-39.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$122 NOK 1,137

-35.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$121 NOK 1,128

-28.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$913 NOK 8,485

6.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$665 NOK 6,175

-29.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,951 NOK 18.1K

-15.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,651 NOK 15.3K

-26.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$6,061 NOK 56.3K

-34.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$4,568 NOK 42.4K

42.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,499 NOK 32.5K

-81.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.75

140.42%

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 Halden: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $913 in Halden. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 427% higher in Halden, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $100 in Halden. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $454 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Halden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $2,207 in Halden – roughly 70% apart. Halden costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,311 in Halden. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 82% more in Halden, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $100 in Halden. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Halden at $2,207. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Halden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $2,207 in Halden. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Halden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.