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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,499 in Karmøy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,768 in Karmøy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,036 in Karmøy.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Karmøy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Karmøy is 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$25.43 NOK 241

-53.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$103 NOK 976

-59.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$13.93 NOK 132

-24.55%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.86 NOK 46.08

-26.13%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$3.13 NOK 29.72

-51.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.85 NOK 26.98

-67.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$10.28 NOK 97.5

-71.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$9.47 NOK 89.8

-53.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.26 NOK 21.46

-38.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$3.45 NOK 32.67

-45.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.20 NOK 30.34

-51.25%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$4.52 NOK 42.89

-42.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.19 NOK 116

-31.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$14.95 NOK 142

-44.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$28.00 NOK 265

-61.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.53 NOK 33.50

-23.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.46 NOK 23.33

-38.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.25 NOK 30.81

-42.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.57 NOK 43.38

-52.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.39 NOK 22.65

-22.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.46 NOK 23.29

-9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.74 NOK 25.98

-60.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.90 NOK 18.06

-42.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$13.97 NOK 133

-70.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$17.55 NOK 166

-40.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$3.42 NOK 32.40

-51.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$4.03 NOK 38.24

-35.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$4.31 NOK 40.86

-87.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$74.2 NOK 704

-64.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$10.22 NOK 96.9

-69.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.45 NOK 13.71

65.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$46.92 NOK 445

-93.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.07 NOK 19.62

-36.71%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$35.5K NOK 337.1K

-16.15%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$38.8K NOK 367.9K

-39.88%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$242 NOK 2,297

-66.44%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$37.68 NOK 357

-40.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$56.1 NOK 532

-46.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$49.40 NOK 468

7.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$35.91 NOK 340

-48.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$16.44 NOK 156

-70.07%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$279 NOK 2,649

-28.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$10.2K NOK 96.9K

-49.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$97.7 NOK 927

-63.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$51.5 NOK 488

-22.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$107 NOK 1,014

-25.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$151 NOK 1,427

-42.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,207 NOK 11.4K

-18.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$897 NOK 8,508

-47.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,799 NOK 17.1K

-8.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,540 NOK 14.6K

-21.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$6,079 NOK 57.6K

-34.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$4,014 NOK 38.1K

64.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$3,958 NOK 37.5K

-82.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.38

160.73%

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 Karmøy: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $1,207 in Karmøy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karmøy pays 485% 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 $103 in Karmøy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $458 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 Karmøy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Karmøy differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $2,499 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 485% lower in Karmøy. 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,207 in Karmøy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 184% less than in Karmøy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $279 in Karmøy. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,499 in Karmøy, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Karmøy. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Karmøy 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 98% less than in Karmøy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.