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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,352 in Kristiansand.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,543 in Kristiansand.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,734 in Kristiansand.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 47% less than in Kristiansand, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Kristiansand is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$25.04 NOK 242

-52.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$100 NOK 966

-58.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$13.28 NOK 128

-19.05%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$5.05 NOK 48.65

-30.69%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.55 NOK 24.56

-43.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.12 NOK 20.41

-58.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$9.13 NOK 88.1

-67.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$9.78 NOK 94.3

-53.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.21 NOK 21.30

-35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.33 NOK 32.12

-44.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.21 NOK 30.99

-51.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$4.18 NOK 40.27

-39.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.26 NOK 109

-26.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$13.96 NOK 135

-39.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$30.90 NOK 298

-65.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.47 NOK 33.47

-24.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.35 NOK 22.71

-38.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.28 NOK 31.59

-40.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$4.21 NOK 40.64

-50.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.29 NOK 22.12

-19.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.22 NOK 21.40

-2.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.75 NOK 26.52

-62.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.84 NOK 17.75

-41.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$13.91 NOK 134

-70.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$15.53 NOK 150

-34.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$3.25 NOK 31.37

-48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.91 NOK 37.70

-35.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$3.52 NOK 33.97

-85.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$65.3 NOK 630

-60.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$10.31 NOK 99.4

-68.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.45 NOK 13.96

66.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$42.68 NOK 412

-92.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.18 NOK 21.03

-39.45%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$35.6K NOK 343.7K

-16.68%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$42.7K NOK 411.8K

-44.59%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$216 NOK 2,082

-62.01%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$31.13 NOK 300

-26.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$37.26 NOK 359

-19.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$41.99 NOK 405

23.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$35.93 NOK 347

-48.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$14.86 NOK 143

-66.49%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$273 NOK 2,634

-27.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$14.5K NOK 139.9K

-63.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$104 NOK 1,006

-65.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$47.04 NOK 454

-14.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$101 NOK 978

-22.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$153 NOK 1,472

-41.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,024 NOK 9,871

-7.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$878 NOK 8,469

-46.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,738 NOK 16.8K

-5.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,417 NOK 13.7K

-14.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$4,761 NOK 45.9K

-14.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$3,327 NOK 32.1K

94.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$4,092 NOK 39.5K

-84.02%

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 Kristiansand: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $1,024 in Kristiansand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristiansand pays 526% 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 $100 in Kristiansand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $446 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 Kristiansand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 526% lower in Kristiansand. 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,024 in Kristiansand. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Kristiansand. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $100 in Kristiansand. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,352 in Kristiansand, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kristiansand. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kristiansand, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kristiansand 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 87% less than in Kristiansand. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.