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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,389 in Kristiansund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,659 in Kristiansund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,928 in Kristiansund.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 46% less than in Kristiansund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Kristiansund is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$18.31 NOK 170

-36.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$111 NOK 1,030

-58.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$16.44 NOK 153

-29.14%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$5.50 NOK 51.0

-25.64%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$3.76 NOK 34.95

-63.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$3.05 NOK 28.33

-72.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$13.39 NOK 124

-74.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$10.09 NOK 93.7

-31.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.58 NOK 23.96

-32.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$3.63 NOK 33.68

-37.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$3.95 NOK 36.69

-55.19%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$4.95 NOK 45.99

-44.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$13.23 NOK 123

-30.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$15.46 NOK 144

-42.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$29.91 NOK 278

-57.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.49 NOK 32.36

-13.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.67 NOK 24.79

-41.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$3.45 NOK 32.05

-38.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$5.29 NOK 49.07

-57.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$2.66 NOK 24.68

-24.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$2.86 NOK 26.57

-27.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$3.05 NOK 28.34

-61.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$2.34 NOK 21.73

-48.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$17.93 NOK 166

-74.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$16.93 NOK 157

-36.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$3.44 NOK 31.98

-52.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$4.46 NOK 41.39

-35.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$4.77 NOK 44.25

-88.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$87.1 NOK 809

-65.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$12.33 NOK 114

-55.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.72 NOK 15.95

115.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$77.2 NOK 716

-92.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$2.45 NOK 22.72

-36.73%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$48.8K NOK 452.9K

-54.23%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$44.5K NOK 413.4K

-41.72%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$277 NOK 2,571

-67.81%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$34.16 NOK 317

-26.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$58.0 NOK 538

-45.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$40.44 NOK 375

67.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$29.94 NOK 278

-3.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$26.95 NOK 250

-81.26%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$247 NOK 2,291

-8.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$12.2K NOK 113.2K

-65.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$103 NOK 955

-53.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$55.2 NOK 513

-18.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$128 NOK 1,188

-35.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$162 NOK 1,500

-42.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$812 NOK 7,536

31.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$716 NOK 6,649

-43.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,285 NOK 11.9K

50.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,066 NOK 9,896

22.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$6,432 NOK 59.7K

-37.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$4,292 NOK 39.9K

54.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$3,777 NOK 35.1K

-80.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.96

130.85%

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 Kristiansund: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $812 in Kristiansund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristiansund pays 405% 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 $111 in Kristiansund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $492 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 85% in total monthly costs ($1,293 vs $2,389 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 405% lower in Kristiansund. 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 $812 in Kristiansund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% 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 $47.00 versus $111 in Kristiansund. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,389 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 85% less than in Kristiansund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.