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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,690 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,006 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,323 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 53% cheaper than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Kongsberg is 97% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$21.13 NOK 199

-45.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$74.0 NOK 697

-36.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$16.39 NOK 154

-27.52%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$5.30 NOK 49.92

-24.91%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$4.09 NOK 38.50

-65.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$3.40 NOK 32.05

-75.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$11.78 NOK 111

-72.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$10.66 NOK 100

-36.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$2.64 NOK 24.85

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$3.18 NOK 29.94

-30.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$4.71 NOK 44.38

-63.69%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$5.10 NOK 48.08

-46.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$11.08 NOK 104

-13.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$12.49 NOK 118

-27.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$18.77 NOK 177

-31.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.29 NOK 31.01

-12.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$2.66 NOK 25.06

-43.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$3.53 NOK 33.29

-39.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$4.93 NOK 46.41

-54.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$2.69 NOK 25.37

-26.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.54 NOK 23.91

-21.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$3.07 NOK 28.94

-59.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$2.46 NOK 23.17

-51.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$18.05 NOK 170

-74.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$16.19 NOK 153

-35.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$3.50 NOK 32.98

-53.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$3.99 NOK 37.57

-27.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$3.18 NOK 29.95

-81.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$96.1 NOK 906

-70.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$12.44 NOK 117

-56.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.85 NOK 17.40

101.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$31.91 NOK 301

-81.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$2.34 NOK 22.07

-34.19%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$48.9K NOK 460.8K

-53.91%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$44.8K NOK 421.9K

-41.81%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$323 NOK 3,045

-71.73%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$28.89 NOK 272

-12.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$56.3 NOK 530

-44.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$47.47 NOK 447

41.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$56.7 NOK 534

-48.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$19.37 NOK 182

-74.91%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$250 NOK 2,355

-10.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$3,926 NOK 37.0K

7.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$94.5 NOK 890

-50.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$56.1 NOK 529

-21.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$135 NOK 1,275

-40.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$158 NOK 1,489

-41.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$1,088 NOK 10.2K

-2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$1,058 NOK 9,970

-63.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$2,046 NOK 19.3K

5.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$1,712 NOK 16.1K

-25.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$6,368 NOK 60.0K

-37.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$4,275 NOK 40.3K

52.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$3,695 NOK 34.8K

-79.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.98

129.92%

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 Kongsberg: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,088 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 387% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $433 – 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 113%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,035 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $2,690 in Kongsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 234% 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 $1,266, than in Kongsberg at $2,690. 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.