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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,512 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,439 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,367 in Lillehammer, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 14% cheaper than Lillehammer, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Lillehammer is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$17.00 NOK 158

-29.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$87.2 NOK 808

-45.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$14.36 NOK 133

-18.18%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.01 NOK 46.49

-17.76%

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

$1.40 MX$23.77

$3.66 NOK 33.94

-61.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$2.49 NOK 23.08

-63.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$10.59 NOK 98.3

-69.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.58 NOK 70.3

-6.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.48

$2.66 NOK 24.67

-36.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$3.43 NOK 31.76

-37.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$3.71 NOK 34.36

-52.29%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.82

$5.11 NOK 47.39

-44.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.41 NOK 124

-31.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$16.56 NOK 154

-44.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$32.93 NOK 305

-61.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.91 NOK 36.26

-24.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$3.01 NOK 27.92

-47.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$3.87 NOK 35.87

-42.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.14

$5.84 NOK 54.1

-59.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.85

$2.95 NOK 27.36

-32.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.62

$3.09 NOK 28.62

-35.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$2.91 NOK 27.02

-57.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$2.28 NOK 21.16

-46.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$18.07 NOK 168

-74.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$18.68 NOK 173

-43.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$3.75 NOK 34.79

-54.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$4.82 NOK 44.67

-42.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$2.31 NOK 21.39

-74.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$9.64 NOK 89.4

-45.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$1.66 NOK 15.35

119.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$61.0 NOK 566

-90.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$2.35 NOK 21.78

-34.47%

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

$22.8K MX$387.3K

$46.9K NOK 435.0K

-51.38%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$45.8K NOK 424.4K

-43.60%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$275 NOK 2,551

-67.04%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$37.37 NOK 347

-32.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$82.7 NOK 767

-61.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$20.66 NOK 192

-76.48%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$303 NOK 2,806

-25.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$4,573 NOK 42.4K

-8.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$109 NOK 1,013

-56.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$53.1 NOK 492

-18.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$123 NOK 1,137

-34.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$159 NOK 1,470

-42.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,087 NOK 10.1K

-0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,942

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$3,351 NOK 31.1K

20.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

$1,384 NOK 12.8K

384.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$2,098 NOK 19.5K

-63.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.32

115.23%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lillehammer: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,087 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 171% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $87.0 in Lillehammer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $520 – 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 16% 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,268 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $87.0 in Lillehammer. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 87% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Lillehammer at $1,512. 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 $1,305 versus $1,512 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.