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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,404 in Molde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,650 in Molde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,896 in Molde.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 48% less than in Molde, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Molde is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$25.04 NOK 237

-53.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$81.8 NOK 776

-48.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$13.47 NOK 128

-21.97%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$5.34 NOK 50.6

-32.77%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.87 NOK 27.22

-47.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.64 NOK 25.04

-65.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$8.99 NOK 85.3

-67.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$10.19 NOK 96.6

-56.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.17 NOK 20.54

-35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$3.07 NOK 29.11

-38.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.91 NOK 37.04

-60.10%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.98 NOK 28.26

-12.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.97 NOK 85.0

-7.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$17.07 NOK 162

-51.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$28.04 NOK 266

-61.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.49 NOK 23.63

8.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.99 NOK 28.38

-49.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.42 NOK 32.43

-45.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$5.54 NOK 52.5

-60.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.54 NOK 14.64

20.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.28 NOK 21.65

-2.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.71 NOK 25.66

-60.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.92 NOK 18.24

-43.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$18.08 NOK 171

-76.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$22.96 NOK 218

-54.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.87 NOK 27.21

-42.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.94 NOK 37.35

-33.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$4.28 NOK 40.61

-87.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$81.5 NOK 772

-67.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$10.20 NOK 96.7

-69.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.40 NOK 13.23

71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$46.41 NOK 440

-93.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.25 NOK 21.36

-41.78%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$35.4K NOK 335.9K

-15.85%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$38.7K NOK 366.5K

-39.66%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$241 NOK 2,285

-66.27%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$37.75 NOK 358

-40.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$55.4 NOK 525

-45.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$49.61 NOK 470

6.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$35.75 NOK 339

-48.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$16.73 NOK 159

-70.59%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$202 NOK 1,918

-0.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$10.1K NOK 95.7K

-48.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$96.7 NOK 917

-62.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$52.4 NOK 497

-23.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$101 NOK 953

-20.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$152 NOK 1,437

-42.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,194 NOK 11.3K

-18.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$901 NOK 8,541

-47.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,400 NOK 13.3K

17.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,456 NOK 13.8K

-17.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$4,189 NOK 39.7K

-83.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.75

204.53%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Molde: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $1,194 in Molde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Molde pays 519% 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 $82.0 in Molde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $459 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 Molde: 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 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 519% lower in Molde. 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,194 in Molde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $202 in Molde. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Molde. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,404 in Molde, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Molde. 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 Molde, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Molde 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 91% less than in Molde. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.