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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,597 in Larvik.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,061 in Larvik.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,525 in Larvik.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 51% less than in Larvik, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Larvik is 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$21.32 NOK 201

-45.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$130 NOK 1,229

-63.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$16.33 NOK 154

-27.25%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$6.09 NOK 57.4

-34.65%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$4.10 NOK 38.58

-65.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$3.47 NOK 32.65

-76.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$11.92 NOK 112

-73.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$12.91 NOK 122

-47.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$2.59 NOK 24.38

-35.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$4.14 NOK 38.99

-46.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.60 NOK 15.05

6.87%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$3.81 NOK 35.86

-28.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$15.10 NOK 142

-36.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$15.72 NOK 148

-42.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$30.37 NOK 286

-57.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.31 NOK 31.22

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$2.76 NOK 25.99

-45.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.61 NOK 24.57

-17.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$4.51 NOK 42.48

-49.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$2.72 NOK 25.67

-27.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.87 NOK 27.00

-30.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$2.73 NOK 25.72

-54.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$1.58 NOK 14.87

-24.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$14.84 NOK 140

-69.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$16.79 NOK 158

-38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$3.46 NOK 32.62

-53.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$4.18 NOK 39.38

-31.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$4.76 NOK 44.81

-87.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$63.8 NOK 601

-54.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$9.53 NOK 89.8

-43.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.63 NOK 15.36

128.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$70.9 NOK 668

-91.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$2.35 NOK 22.11

-34.47%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$42.6K NOK 401.2K

-47.06%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$45.7K NOK 430.9K

-43.04%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$298 NOK 2,807

-69.33%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$21.40 NOK 202

17.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$42.05 NOK 396

-25.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$51.8 NOK 488

29.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$37.29 NOK 351

-21.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$15.93 NOK 150

-69.49%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$160 NOK 1,510

39.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$15.7K NOK 147.5K

-72.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$73.8 NOK 695

-36.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$62.3 NOK 587

-28.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$109 NOK 1,029

-26.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$129 NOK 1,215

-28.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$1,256 NOK 11.8K

-15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$1,023 NOK 9,640

-61.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$2,025 NOK 19.1K

6.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$1,716 NOK 16.2K

-25.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$6,320 NOK 59.5K

-36.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$4,176 NOK 39.3K

55.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$3,269 NOK 30.8K

-76.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.75

141.05%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Larvik: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,256 in Larvik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Larvik pays 331% 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 $130 in Larvik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $473 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 Larvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 105% lower than in Larvik. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 331% lower in Larvik. 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,256 in Larvik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 121% less than in Larvik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $160 in Larvik. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,597 in Larvik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Larvik. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,266 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Larvik 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 105% less than in Larvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.