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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,529 in Narvik.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,902 in Narvik.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,276 in Narvik.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Narvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Narvik is 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$32.77 NOK 309

-64.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$94.8 NOK 893

-50.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$15.78 NOK 149

-24.71%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$5.11 NOK 48.15

-22.11%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$3.00 NOK 28.25

-52.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.89 NOK 27.21

-71.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$11.84 NOK 112

-73.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$12.26 NOK 116

-44.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.52 NOK 23.75

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.37 NOK 31.79

-34.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.72 NOK 25.63

-37.13%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$5.38 NOK 50.7

-49.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.98 NOK 113

-20.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$15.25 NOK 144

-40.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$23.46 NOK 221

-45.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.82 NOK 36.00

-24.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.09 NOK 19.68

-28.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$4.87 NOK 45.85

-55.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.47 NOK 42.08

-49.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.66 NOK 25.05

-25.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$4.84 NOK 45.60

-58.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.97 NOK 27.95

-58.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.24 NOK 21.15

-46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$16.43 NOK 155

-72.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$16.14 NOK 152

-35.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$3.47 NOK 32.71

-53.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.83 NOK 36.13

-24.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$4.62 NOK 43.57

-87.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$92.7 NOK 873

-68.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$15.91 NOK 150

-66.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.08 NOK 19.59

79.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$54.6 NOK 514

-89.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.22 NOK 20.89

-30.63%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$40.5K NOK 381.4K

-44.29%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$38.7K NOK 364.9K

-32.72%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$260 NOK 2,454

-64.91%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$51.4 NOK 484

-50.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$85.2 NOK 803

-63.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$56.6 NOK 534

18.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$27.16 NOK 256

7.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$17.37 NOK 164

-72.02%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$320 NOK 3,017

-30.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$7,707 NOK 72.6K

-45.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$126 NOK 1,190

-62.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$35.09 NOK 331

26.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$143 NOK 1,352

-44.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$168 NOK 1,584

-44.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$930 NOK 8,766

14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$745 NOK 7,019

-47.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,670 NOK 15.7K

28.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,229 NOK 11.6K

3.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$5,415 NOK 51.0K

-26.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$4,789 NOK 45.1K

35.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,580 NOK 33.7K

-78.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.01

128.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Narvik: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $930 in Narvik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Narvik pays 372% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $95.0 in Narvik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $461 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 Narvik: 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 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 372% lower in Narvik. 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $930 in Narvik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,529 in Narvik – a 100% 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 222% less than in Narvik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,529 in Narvik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Narvik. 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 Narvik, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Narvik 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 100% less than in Narvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.