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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,260 in Kristiansund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,403 in Kristiansund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,547 in Kristiansund.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 44% less than in Kristiansund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Kristiansund is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$25.66 NOK 247

-53.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$102 NOK 985

-59.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$13.47 NOK 130

-20.19%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$5.05 NOK 48.66

-30.69%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$3.21 NOK 30.94

-54.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.90 NOK 28.01

-69.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$10.25 NOK 98.8

-71.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$9.57 NOK 92.3

-52.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.38 NOK 22.92

-39.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.40 NOK 32.81

-45.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.20 NOK 30.85

-50.94%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$4.45 NOK 42.88

-43.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.99 NOK 116

-30.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$14.50 NOK 140

-41.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$28.13 NOK 271

-62.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.43 NOK 33.10

-23.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.46 NOK 23.68

-41.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.42 NOK 32.99

-42.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$4.54 NOK 43.78

-53.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.48 NOK 23.87

-25.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.59 NOK 24.98

-16.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.82 NOK 27.21

-63.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.92 NOK 18.52

-44.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$15.15 NOK 146

-72.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$17.14 NOK 165

-40.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$3.27 NOK 31.49

-48.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.99 NOK 38.50

-36.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$4.14 NOK 39.88

-87.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$74.2 NOK 716

-64.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$10.29 NOK 99.2

-68.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.38 NOK 13.29

74.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$47.54 NOK 458

-93.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.07 NOK 19.93

-36.23%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$36.1K NOK 347.9K

-17.68%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$39.2K NOK 377.8K

-39.61%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$242 NOK 2,335

-66.13%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$38.08 NOK 367

-39.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$56.2 NOK 542

-46.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$49.02 NOK 473

6.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$35.32 NOK 341

-47.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$16.48 NOK 159

-69.78%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$288 NOK 2,781

-31.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$10.2K NOK 98.7K

-47.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$96.0 NOK 925

-62.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$52.0 NOK 502

-22.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$107 NOK 1,030

-26.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$150 NOK 1,451

-40.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$762 NOK 7,344

24.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$665 NOK 6,409

-28.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,211 NOK 11.7K

35.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,029 NOK 9,923

17.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$5,733 NOK 55.3K

-29.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$3,969 NOK 38.3K

63.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$3,675 NOK 35.4K

-82.21%

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 Kristiansund: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $762 in Kristiansund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristiansund pays 462% 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 $102 in Kristiansund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $455 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 80% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $2,260 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 462% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $762 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 $102 in Kristiansund. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,260 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 80% less than in Kristiansund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.