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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,992 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,975 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,957 in Lillehammer, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 37% cheaper than Lillehammer, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Lillehammer is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$16.31 NOK 157

-26.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$81.9 NOK 790

-48.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$14.30 NOK 138

-24.83%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$4.80 NOK 46.29

-27.08%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.74 NOK 26.43

-47.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.20 NOK 21.22

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$9.25 NOK 89.2

-68.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$6.76 NOK 65.2

-33.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.04 NOK 19.67

-29.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$2.06 NOK 19.87

-10.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$2.05 NOK 19.78

-23.41%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$3.00 NOK 28.95

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$12.33 NOK 119

-32.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$10.27 NOK 99.1

-17.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$28.05 NOK 270

-61.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.48 NOK 33.60

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.07 NOK 20.01

-30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.66 NOK 25.69

-26.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$2.48 NOK 23.95

-15.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.55 NOK 14.92

19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.04 NOK 19.69

6.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.31 NOK 12.61

-21.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$2.39 NOK 23.06

-55.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$14.06 NOK 136

-70.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$15.41 NOK 149

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$3.48 NOK 33.59

-51.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$4.70 NOK 45.34

-46.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$2.55 NOK 24.63

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$53.2 NOK 513

-51.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$5.70 NOK 55.0

-43.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.99 NOK 9.58

143.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$50.8 NOK 490

-93.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.16 NOK 20.84

-38.89%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$31.4K NOK 302.7K

-5.40%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$35.3K NOK 340.0K

-32.89%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$325 NOK 3,134

-74.76%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$41.77 NOK 403

-45.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$35.78 NOK 345

-15.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$49.97 NOK 482

4.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$35.32 NOK 341

-47.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$12.21 NOK 118

-59.21%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$300 NOK 2,893

-34.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$8,625 NOK 83.2K

-38.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$92.1 NOK 888

-61.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$30.59 NOK 295

31.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$71.9 NOK 693

9.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$131 NOK 1,262

-32.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$993 NOK 9,573

-4.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$609 NOK 5,874

-22.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,796 NOK 17.3K

-8.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$910 NOK 8,778

32.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$5,747 NOK 55.4K

-29.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$2,510 NOK 24.2K

157.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$2,013 NOK 19.4K

-67.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.32

164.35%

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 Lillehammer: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $993 in Lillehammer. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 208% higher in Lillehammer, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $82.0 in Lillehammer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $387 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lillehammer: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lillehammer costs about 59% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,989 in Lillehammer. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Lillehammer, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $82.0 in Lillehammer. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Lillehammer at $1,992. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lillehammer it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $1,992 in Lillehammer. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lillehammer makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.