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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,463 in Molde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,636 in Molde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,808 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 4% below, Molde is 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$25.70 NOK 239

-53.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$79.6 NOK 742

-46.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$13.48 NOK 126

-21.44%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$5.16 NOK 48.10

-29.84%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.77 NOK 25.80

-46.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.62 NOK 24.43

-64.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$9.27 NOK 86.4

-66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$9.93 NOK 92.5

-55.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.20 NOK 20.47

-35.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.08 NOK 28.69

-38.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.77 NOK 35.13

-56.76%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.08 NOK 28.68

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.28 NOK 86.5

-11.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$17.33 NOK 162

-52.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$27.43 NOK 256

-59.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.49 NOK 23.16

6.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$3.13 NOK 29.16

-52.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.39 NOK 31.61

-41.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$5.70 NOK 53.1

-63.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.56 NOK 14.55

14.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.27 NOK 21.13

-3.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.58 NOK 24.09

-58.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.83 NOK 17.02

-43.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$18.19 NOK 169

-78.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$16.75 NOK 156

-39.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.85 NOK 26.57

-39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$4.08 NOK 38.04

-38.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$4.20 NOK 39.13

-87.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$80.8 NOK 753

-66.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$10.31 NOK 96.1

-69.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.46 NOK 13.63

64.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$47.39 NOK 442

-93.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.14 NOK 19.97

-40.65%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$34.9K NOK 325.0K

-11.43%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$38.0K NOK 353.8K

-38.59%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$241 NOK 2,244

-65.93%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$38.28 NOK 357

-41.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$54.6 NOK 509

-45.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$49.56 NOK 462

4.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$35.44 NOK 330

-47.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$16.43 NOK 153

-69.75%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$200 NOK 1,862

-1.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$10.3K NOK 95.8K

-48.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$96.8 NOK 902

-62.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$53.0 NOK 494

-24.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$101 NOK 937

-20.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$154 NOK 1,435

-42.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,211 NOK 11.3K

-20.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$901 NOK 8,399

-48.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,416 NOK 13.2K

12.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,415 NOK 13.2K

-14.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$6,886 NOK 64.2K

-42.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$4,940 NOK 46.0K

30.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$3,728 NOK 34.7K

-80.68%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Molde: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,211 in Molde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Molde pays 418% 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 $80.0 in Molde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $448 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, Molde earns 418% 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,211 in Molde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $200 in Molde. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Molde. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,463 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.