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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,706 in Kristiansand.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,081 in Kristiansand.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,457 in Kristiansand.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 52% less than in Kristiansand, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Kristiansand is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$199

$29.29 NOK 273

-60.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$791

$84.6 NOK 788

-44.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$198

$16.30 NOK 152

-28.53%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.5

$4.70 NOK 43.75

-12.98%

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

$1.37 MX$23.34

$3.28 NOK 30.53

-58.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.16

$2.43 NOK 22.63

-65.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

$12.92 NOK 120

-74.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$8.83 NOK 82.3

-21.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.33

$2.35 NOK 21.85

-26.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.39

$3.62 NOK 33.72

-37.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.05

$3.99 NOK 37.21

-55.64%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.41

$5.63 NOK 52.5

-51.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$13.06 NOK 122

-29.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$15.57 NOK 145

-42.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$43.87 NOK 409

-71.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

$4.50 NOK 41.90

-32.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$2.59 NOK 24.13

-39.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.10

$4.00 NOK 37.29

-46.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.46

$4.95 NOK 46.12

-54.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

$2.53 NOK 23.60

-20.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

$2.44 NOK 22.69

-15.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.04

$3.05 NOK 28.38

-61.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.45

$2.15 NOK 20.07

-44.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.7

$16.95 NOK 158

-72.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

$16.03 NOK 149

-33.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

$3.82 NOK 35.55

-57.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

$3.90 NOK 36.33

-26.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

$3.78 NOK 35.20

-84.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

$72.4 NOK 675

-58.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

$8.14 NOK 75.9

-33.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

$1.67 NOK 15.58

121.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

$58.6 NOK 546

-89.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$2.33 NOK 21.70

-33.48%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

$48.4K NOK 450.9K

-53.86%

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

$44.3K NOK 412.8K

-41.44%

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

$89.1 MX$1,514

$223 NOK 2,082

-60.12%

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

$25.04 MX$425

$31.99 NOK 298

-21.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$535

$60.7 NOK 566

-48.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

$48.83 NOK 455

38.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

$37.35 NOK 348

-22.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

$15.98 NOK 149

-68.40%

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

$225 MX$3,820

$306 NOK 2,850

-26.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

$2,720 NOK 25.3K

55.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

$117 NOK 1,089

-59.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

$58.2 NOK 542

-22.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,392

$121 NOK 1,127

-32.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

$162 NOK 1,514

-43.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$1,193 NOK 11.1K

-10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

$1,015 NOK 9,452

-60.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

$1,861 NOK 17.3K

3.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

$1,609 NOK 15.0K

-19.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

$4,893 NOK 45.6K

-18.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

$3,581 NOK 33.4K

85.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$4,268 NOK 39.8K

-82.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.01

128.54%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Kristiansand: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $1,193 in Kristiansand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristiansand pays 470% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $85.0 in Kristiansand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $535 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 109% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 470% 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,193 in Kristiansand. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 93% 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 $47.00 versus $85.0 in Kristiansand. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,706 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 109% less than in Kristiansand. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.