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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,266 in Horten, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,483 in Horten, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,700 in Horten, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 44% cheaper than Horten, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Horten is 70% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$28.38 NOK 271

-58.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$103 NOK 979

-59.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$13.48 NOK 129

-22.03%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$4.86 NOK 46.38

-26.13%

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

$1.51 MX$26.13

$2.45 NOK 23.39

-38.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$2.23 NOK 21.23

-58.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$8.87 NOK 84.6

-66.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$9.88 NOK 94.3

-55.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$2.17 NOK 20.68

-35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$3.45 NOK 32.94

-45.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$3.19 NOK 30.45

-51.10%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.20

$4.22 NOK 40.25

-38.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.94 NOK 94.8

-16.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$13.44 NOK 128

-37.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$23.62 NOK 225

-54.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$3.62 NOK 34.53

-25.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$2.34 NOK 22.31

-35.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$3.29 NOK 31.42

-43.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.94

$4.07 NOK 38.79

-46.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.18

$1.96 NOK 18.73

-5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$2.14 NOK 20.45

4.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$2.85 NOK 27.23

-62.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$1.84 NOK 17.55

-40.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.5

$14.35 NOK 137

-70.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$18.26 NOK 174

-42.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$3.23 NOK 30.78

-48.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

$4.02 NOK 38.37

-35.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$5.05 NOK 48.12

-89.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$77.4 NOK 738

-66.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$9.96 NOK 95.0

-69.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.66

$1.10 NOK 10.47

118.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$102 NOK 971

-96.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$2.09 NOK 19.98

-37.32%

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

$29.8K MX$516.4K

$35.8K NOK 341.6K

-16.78%

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$38.7K NOK 368.8K

-39.69%

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$217 NOK 2,070

-62.56%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$43.09 NOK 411

-47.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$30.39 NOK 290

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$48.98 NOK 467

8.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$35.29 NOK 337

-47.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.2

$15.07 NOK 144

-67.35%

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

$201 MX$3,479

$305 NOK 2,909

-34.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$10.0K NOK 95.7K

-48.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$117 NOK 1,115

-69.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$40.93 NOK 390

-1.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$55.3 NOK 528

44.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$182 NOK 1,733

-52.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,074 NOK 10.2K

-8.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

$804 NOK 7,667

-41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,705 NOK 16.3K

-3.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$1,235 NOK 11.8K

-2.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

$5,290 NOK 50.5K

-25.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

$3,826 NOK 36.5K

72.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

280.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Horten: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,074 in Horten. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $103 in Horten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $424 – 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 Horten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $2,266 in Horten – roughly 80% apart. Horten costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,399 in Horten. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $2,266 in Horten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 196% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Horten at $2,266. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Horten 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $2,266 in Horten. 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, Horten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.