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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,229 in Kristiansund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,436 in Kristiansund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,642 in Kristiansund.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 42% less than in Kristiansund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Kristiansund is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$25.42 NOK 236

-53.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$101 NOK 942

-58.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$13.63 NOK 127

-21.94%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.88 NOK 45.38

-27.87%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$3.17 NOK 29.48

-52.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.79 NOK 25.94

-65.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$10.00 NOK 92.9

-70.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$9.36 NOK 86.9

-52.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.41 NOK 22.36

-42.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.37 NOK 31.35

-43.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.25 NOK 30.19

-49.54%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.47 NOK 41.53

-43.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.82 NOK 110

-29.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$14.56 NOK 135

-42.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$27.60 NOK 256

-61.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.42 NOK 31.76

-23.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.45 NOK 22.79

-40.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.39 NOK 31.46

-43.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.58 NOK 42.53

-54.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.44 NOK 22.67

-27.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.56 NOK 23.74

-14.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.87 NOK 26.70

-63.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.92 NOK 17.80

-43.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$15.47 NOK 144

-73.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$18.43 NOK 171

-44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$3.31 NOK 30.78

-48.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.02 NOK 37.30

-35.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$4.28 NOK 39.75

-88.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$72.6 NOK 675

-63.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$10.30 NOK 95.7

-68.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.41 NOK 13.08

76.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$47.30 NOK 439

-93.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.10 NOK 19.48

-37.62%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$35.3K NOK 328.2K

-14.30%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$38.1K NOK 354.4K

-38.57%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$244 NOK 2,267

-66.03%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$37.75 NOK 351

-41.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$54.7 NOK 508

-46.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$49.19 NOK 457

4.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.12 NOK 326

-47.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$16.36 NOK 152

-69.01%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$282 NOK 2,620

-28.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$10.1K NOK 93.6K

-48.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$97.4 NOK 905

-62.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$51.4 NOK 477

-22.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$110 NOK 1,017

-28.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$151 NOK 1,403

-42.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$765 NOK 7,109

27.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$685 NOK 6,364

-31.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,213 NOK 11.3K

35.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,026 NOK 9,531

18.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$6,072 NOK 56.4K

-35.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$4,539 NOK 42.2K

43.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,816 NOK 35.5K

-82.60%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kristiansund: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $765 in Kristiansund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristiansund pays 475% 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 $101 in Kristiansund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $456 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 Kristiansund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Kristiansund differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $2,229 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kristiansund earns 475% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $765 in Kristiansund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Kristiansund. 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 $101 in Kristiansund. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,229 in Kristiansund, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kristiansund. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kristiansund 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 72% less than in Kristiansund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.