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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,316 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,511 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,705 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 46% cheaper than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Kongsberg is 73% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$22.56 NOK 217

-46.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$731

$70.6 NOK 680

-40.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$188

$13.14 NOK 127

-18.19%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.1

$4.82 NOK 46.38

-27.39%

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

$1.45 MX$25.33

$2.47 NOK 23.79

-41.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.47

$2.12 NOK 20.39

-58.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

$8.99 NOK 86.6

-67.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.9

$10.07 NOK 97.0

-55.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.04

$2.11 NOK 20.37

-32.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.13

$3.05 NOK 29.36

-39.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.42

$3.18 NOK 30.65

-50.63%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.92

$4.69 NOK 45.18

-46.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.32 NOK 99.4

-19.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$11.68 NOK 113

-27.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$17.66 NOK 170

-39.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.62

$3.17 NOK 30.52

-17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.15

$2.35 NOK 22.65

-38.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.31

$3.24 NOK 31.24

-39.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.62

$4.12 NOK 39.70

-49.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.37

$2.20 NOK 21.20

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.90

$2.24 NOK 21.55

-3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.04

$3.02 NOK 29.05

-65.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.78

$1.83 NOK 17.62

-41.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.7

$17.19 NOK 166

-76.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$15.05 NOK 145

-32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.29

$3.21 NOK 30.89

-47.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.17

$3.84 NOK 36.96

-34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$2.46 NOK 23.66

-79.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

$89.4 NOK 861

-70.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$10.28 NOK 99.0

-68.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.06

$1.39 NOK 13.34

73.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$30.31 NOK 292

-89.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.10

$2.15 NOK 20.71

-38.60%

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

$29.7K MX$519.2K

$37.8K NOK 363.9K

-21.40%

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

$23.7K MX$413.7K

$40.6K NOK 390.8K

-41.69%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$215 NOK 2,068

-61.81%

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

$22.95 MX$401

$27.07 NOK 261

-15.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$527

$38.56 NOK 371

-21.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

$44.95 NOK 433

15.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

$53.3 NOK 513

-65.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.0

$20.47 NOK 197

-75.67%

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

$197 MX$3,452

$302 NOK 2,908

-34.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.3K

$3,636 NOK 35.0K

46.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$622

$87.8 NOK 846

-59.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$51.3 NOK 494

-21.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,377

$156 NOK 1,503

-49.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$159 NOK 1,530

-44.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$993 NOK 9,567

-4.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,288

$884 NOK 8,516

-46.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.7K

$1,765 NOK 17.0K

-6.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,583 NOK 15.2K

-23.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

$6,007 NOK 57.9K

-32.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

$4,030 NOK 38.8K

60.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$3,474 NOK 33.5K

-81.18%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $993 in Kongsberg. 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 431% higher in Kongsberg, 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 $71.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $388 – 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 Kongsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kongsberg is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,474 in Kongsberg. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $2,316 in Kongsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 243% 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 $1,256, than in Kongsberg at $2,316. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kongsberg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Kongsberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.