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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,626 in Harstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,908 in Harstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,189 in Harstad.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 52% less than in Harstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Harstad is 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$14.17 NOK 134

-18.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$109 NOK 1,027

-56.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$16.17 NOK 152

-26.53%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$6.56 NOK 61.9

-39.33%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$3.84 NOK 36.18

-62.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$3.18 NOK 29.98

-74.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$12.72 NOK 120

-74.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$13.91 NOK 131

-51.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.58 NOK 24.32

-34.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.48 NOK 32.77

-36.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.30 NOK 31.06

-48.18%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.58 NOK 43.18

-40.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.19 NOK 105

-14.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$15.09 NOK 142

-40.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$42.47 NOK 400

-69.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$4.24 NOK 39.94

-31.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.94 NOK 27.73

-48.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.82 NOK 35.95

-43.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.79 NOK 45.12

-52.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.16 NOK 20.37

-8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.17 NOK 20.48

-8.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$3.02 NOK 28.50

-59.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.41 NOK 22.71

-50.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$16.82 NOK 158

-72.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$15.81 NOK 149

-34.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$4.04 NOK 38.03

-59.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.98 NOK 46.97

-42.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$6.22 NOK 58.6

-90.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$84.4 NOK 796

-65.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$16.02 NOK 151

-66.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.84 NOK 17.32

102.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$56.9 NOK 536

-89.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.25 NOK 21.20

-31.56%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$37.6K NOK 354.3K

-40.03%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$32.0K NOK 301.4K

-18.54%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$168 NOK 1,582

-45.57%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$34.80 NOK 328

-27.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$81.9 NOK 771

-61.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$51.1 NOK 482

31.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$37.78 NOK 356

-22.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$17.55 NOK 165

-72.31%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$246 NOK 2,319

-9.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,377 NOK 50.7K

-21.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$68.7 NOK 647

-31.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$36.02 NOK 339

22.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$124 NOK 1,170

-35.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$168 NOK 1,580

-44.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,387 NOK 13.1K

-23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,092 NOK 10.3K

-64.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,321 NOK 21.9K

-7.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,530 NOK 14.4K

-16.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$6,192 NOK 58.3K

-35.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$4,126 NOK 38.9K

57.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,607 NOK 34.0K

-78.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

129.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Harstad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,387 in Harstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harstad pays 376% 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 $109 in Harstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $520 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 Harstad: 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 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 376% lower in Harstad. 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,387 in Harstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in Harstad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $109 in Harstad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,626 in Harstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Harstad. 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 Harstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Harstad 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 107% less than in Harstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.