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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,450 in Kongsvinger.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,743 in Kongsvinger.

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

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 49% less than in Kongsvinger, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Kongsvinger is 84% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Kongsvinger
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72 MX$203
$24.82 NOK 235
-52.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89 MX$725
$101 NOK 953
-58.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.51 MX$182
$13.65 NOK 129
-23.00%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.0
$4.85 NOK 46.01
-25.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.10
$3.08 NOK 29.20
-50.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 MX$15.83
$2.79 NOK 26.47
-67.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 MX$51.2
$10.20 NOK 96.8
-70.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 MX$76.3
$9.56 NOK 90.6
-53.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Kongsvinger
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 MX$24.16
$2.25 NOK 21.33
-37.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.60
$3.42 NOK 32.45
-45.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 MX$26.97
$3.22 NOK 30.55
-51.55%
Eggs
$2.61 MX$45.14
$4.45 NOK 42.23
-41.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.32 MX$144
$12.26 NOK 116
-32.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.35 MX$145
$14.59 NOK 138
-42.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$188
$27.50 NOK 261
-60.51%
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 MX$46.93
$3.56 NOK 33.71
-23.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$26.04
$2.45 NOK 23.22
-38.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.41
$3.30 NOK 31.29
-43.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$37.89
$4.39 NOK 41.59
-50.11%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.14
$2.40 NOK 22.74
-22.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.59
$2.56 NOK 24.28
-12.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.48
$2.77 NOK 26.27
-61.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.79
$1.90 NOK 18.02
-42.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.4
$14.93 NOK 142
-71.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.43 MX$180
$17.39 NOK 165
-40.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 MX$28.68
$3.26 NOK 30.95
-49.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$45.19
$3.96 NOK 37.56
-34.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Kongsvinger
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$4.30 NOK 40.81
-87.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.16 MX$453
$72.4 NOK 687
-63.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 MX$53.3
$9.95 NOK 94.4
-69.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$41.61
$1.41 NOK 13.37
70.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$54.1
$47.31 NOK 449
-93.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.69
$2.18 NOK 20.69
-39.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K MX$515.7K
$35.4K NOK 335.6K
-15.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$403.5K
$37.9K NOK 359.6K
-38.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Kongsvinger
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.3 MX$1,406
$243 NOK 2,303
-66.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56 MX$390
$38.13 NOK 362
-40.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05 MX$520
$55.4 NOK 525
-45.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Kongsvinger
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.9 MX$915
$49.76 NOK 472
6.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$318
$35.89 NOK 340
-48.76%
Cinema Ticket
$4.92 MX$85.1
$16.48 NOK 156
-70.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Kongsvinger
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,474
$280 NOK 2,653
-28.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,175 MX$89.5K
$9,920 NOK 94.1K
-47.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Kongsvinger
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92 MX$622
$94.4 NOK 895
-61.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13 MX$694
$51.4 NOK 487
-21.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.7 MX$1,379
$110 NOK 1,045
-27.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,496
$149 NOK 1,416
-42.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Kongsvinger
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$978 MX$16.9K
$1,235 NOK 11.7K
-20.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$470 MX$8,140
$887 NOK 8,407
-46.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,651 MX$28.6K
$1,850 NOK 17.5K
-10.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,203 MX$20.8K
$1,528 NOK 14.5K
-21.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,953 MX$68.4K
$5,941 NOK 56.3K
-33.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,607 MX$114.3K
$3,922 NOK 37.2K
68.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Kongsvinger
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$677 MX$11.7K
-
-
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 Kongsvinger: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $1,235 in Kongsvinger. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $101 in Kongsvinger for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $452 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 Kongsvinger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Kongsvinger?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Kongsvinger. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Kongsvinger?
You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $3,676 in Kongsvinger to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Kongsvinger?
Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,235 in Kongsvinger. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Kongsvinger?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $101 in Kongsvinger. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Kongsvinger?
All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,450 in Kongsvinger – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Kongsvinger?
At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,450 in Kongsvinger, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kongsvinger. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Kongsvinger?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,260 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Kongsvinger?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kongsvinger are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Kongsvinger. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities