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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,463 in Mandal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,836 in Mandal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,210 in Mandal.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 48% less than in Mandal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Mandal is 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$25.33 NOK 240

-53.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$119 NOK 1,133

-64.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$14.88 NOK 141

-28.43%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$5.03 NOK 47.74

-31.41%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$4.05 NOK 38.49

-62.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$3.30 NOK 31.35

-71.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$10.95 NOK 104

-72.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$10.28 NOK 97.5

-55.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.11 NOK 20.05

-34.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.11 NOK 29.51

-40.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$4.57 NOK 43.40

-64.77%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.11 NOK 29.51

-16.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.98 NOK 123

-36.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$16.29 NOK 155

-48.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$27.67 NOK 263

-61.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.58 NOK 33.95

-26.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.56 NOK 24.25

-41.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.02 NOK 28.66

-36.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.80 NOK 45.59

-56.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.06 NOK 19.56

-9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$3.03 NOK 28.75

-25.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.56 NOK 14.77

-32.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.76 NOK 16.67

-38.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$15.45 NOK 147

-73.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$18.75 NOK 178

-44.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.99 NOK 28.34

-42.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.95 NOK 27.97

-11.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$4.14 NOK 39.32

-86.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$72.9 NOK 692

-63.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$5.59 NOK 53.1

-44.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.06 NOK 10.05

136.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$103 NOK 978

-96.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.16 NOK 20.54

-41.20%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$34.7K NOK 329.6K

-12.54%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.4K NOK 317.2K

-29.48%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$187 NOK 1,773

-55.57%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$33.56 NOK 319

-32.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$83.0 NOK 788

-64.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$48.88 NOK 464

4.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$35.60 NOK 338

-48.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$19.07 NOK 181

-74.15%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$320 NOK 3,040

-38.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$13.1K NOK 124.5K

-59.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$117 NOK 1,113

-68.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$58.1 NOK 551

-31.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$105 NOK 1,000

-24.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$162 NOK 1,538

-44.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$1,228 NOK 11.7K

-22.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$887 NOK 8,415

-46.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,792 NOK 17.0K

-8.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,537 NOK 14.6K

-20.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$6,808 NOK 64.6K

-42.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$4,481 NOK 42.5K

44.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$4,425 NOK 42.0K

-84.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.51

153.22%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mandal: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $1,228 in Mandal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandal pays 563% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $119 in Mandal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $454 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 Mandal: 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 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mandal earns 563% 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,228 in Mandal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,463 in Mandal – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 171% less than in Mandal. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,463 in Mandal, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mandal. 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 Mandal, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Mandal 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 94% less than in Mandal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.