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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,960 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,971 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,983 in Lillehammer, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 34% cheaper than Lillehammer, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Lillehammer is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$16.34 NOK 152

-28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$80.2 NOK 745

-48.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$14.21 NOK 132

-25.12%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.77 NOK 44.31

-26.21%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.67 NOK 24.78

-43.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.25 NOK 20.95

-56.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$9.17 NOK 85.2

-67.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$6.46 NOK 60.1

-31.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.04 NOK 18.99

-32.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.05 NOK 19.04

-7.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.07 NOK 19.27

-20.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.06 NOK 28.44

-17.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.94 NOK 111

-30.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.00 NOK 92.9

-16.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$27.85 NOK 259

-61.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.57 NOK 33.20

-27.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.06 NOK 19.16

-29.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.68 NOK 24.94

-29.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.46 NOK 22.84

-15.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.56 NOK 14.46

14.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.99 NOK 18.45

10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.35 NOK 12.58

-22.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.52 NOK 23.40

-57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$13.90 NOK 129

-70.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$16.10 NOK 150

-35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$3.58 NOK 33.29

-52.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.77 NOK 44.31

-45.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.52 NOK 23.36

-79.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$53.3 NOK 495

-50.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$5.78 NOK 53.7

-43.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.05 NOK 9.73

137.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$49.99 NOK 464

-93.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.12 NOK 19.72

-38.21%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$31.3K NOK 290.3K

-3.12%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$35.0K NOK 325.6K

-33.15%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$319 NOK 2,963

-74.02%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$42.04 NOK 391

-47.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$35.65 NOK 331

-17.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$51.1 NOK 475

1.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.67 NOK 331

-48.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$12.09 NOK 112

-58.06%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$299 NOK 2,780

-32.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$8,457 NOK 78.6K

-38.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$92.6 NOK 860

-60.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$30.77 NOK 286

29.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$70.8 NOK 658

10.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$132 NOK 1,228

-34.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,006 NOK 9,349

-3.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$595 NOK 5,532

-21.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,847 NOK 17.2K

-11.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$924 NOK 8,585

32.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$5,957 NOK 55.3K

-33.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$2,675 NOK 24.9K

142.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,132 NOK 19.8K

-68.86%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lillehammer: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,006 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 221% 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 $80.0 in Lillehammer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $388 – 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 51% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,940 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 $80.0 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 $1,297, than in Lillehammer at $1,960. 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 $1,297 versus $1,960 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.