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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,221 in Longyearbyen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,505 in Longyearbyen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,789 in Longyearbyen.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 42% less than in Longyearbyen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Longyearbyen is 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$20.06 NOK 190

-41.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$103 NOK 972

-59.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$13.56 NOK 128

-23.23%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$6.42 NOK 60.8

-43.77%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$3.63 NOK 34.40

-59.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$3.69 NOK 34.99

-73.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$7.36 NOK 69.8

-60.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$9.38 NOK 88.8

-50.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$3.02 NOK 28.59

-52.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$3.41 NOK 32.30

-44.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$3.14 NOK 29.78

-50.00%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$4.92 NOK 46.60

-46.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$10.66 NOK 101

-20.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$14.48 NOK 137

-40.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$28.02 NOK 265

-60.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.29 NOK 31.14

-17.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$3.10 NOK 29.37

-51.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$3.18 NOK 30.16

-39.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$4.51 NOK 42.76

-51.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$3.24 NOK 30.74

-42.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$3.50 NOK 33.18

-36.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.95 NOK 18.43

-44.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.67 NOK 6.35

59.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$15.02 NOK 142

-72.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$14.41 NOK 137

-28.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$3.27 NOK 30.97

-48.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$4.14 NOK 39.24

-38.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$4.20 NOK 39.75

-86.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$72.8 NOK 690

-63.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$10.10 NOK 95.7

-68.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.06 NOK 9.99

132.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$47.11 NOK 446

-93.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$2.13 NOK 20.13

-38.03%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$35.3K NOK 334.2K

-14.53%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$38.0K NOK 359.9K

-38.43%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$75.4 NOK 714

7.96%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$38.73 NOK 367

-42.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$49.17 NOK 466

-39.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$48.83 NOK 463

5.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$35.16 NOK 333

-47.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$11.90 NOK 113

-56.64%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$282 NOK 2,669

-28.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$9,934 NOK 94.1K

-46.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$96.1 NOK 911

-62.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$51.4 NOK 486

-21.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$110 NOK 1,046

-28.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$150 NOK 1,420

-42.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$716 NOK 6,778

32.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$890 NOK 8,429

-46.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,845 NOK 17.5K

-12.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$1,508 NOK 14.3K

-18.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$5,828 NOK 55.2K

-31.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$4,300 NOK 40.7K

50.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$2,935 NOK 27.8K

-77.07%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Longyearbyen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $716 in Longyearbyen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Longyearbyen pays 336% 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 $103 in Longyearbyen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $441 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 Longyearbyen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Longyearbyen earns 336% less. 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $716 in Longyearbyen. 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 177% less than in Longyearbyen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $282 in Longyearbyen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,221 in Longyearbyen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Longyearbyen. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Longyearbyen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Longyearbyen 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 72% less than in Longyearbyen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.