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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,282 in Narvik.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,472 in Narvik.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,663 in Narvik.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 44% less than in Narvik, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Narvik is 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$20.26 NOK 192

-41.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$89.9 NOK 853

-52.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$15.34 NOK 146

-30.57%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$5.64 NOK 53.5

-38.83%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.50 NOK 23.72

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.46 NOK 23.39

-61.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$11.30 NOK 107

-73.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$10.94 NOK 104

-57.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.49 NOK 23.66

-44.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.22 NOK 30.53

-42.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.51 NOK 23.87

-35.86%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$5.01 NOK 47.58

-48.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.60 NOK 110

-28.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$15.21 NOK 144

-44.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$22.29 NOK 212

-52.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.43 NOK 32.54

-23.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.98 NOK 18.77

-24.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.62 NOK 34.34

-46.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.32 NOK 41.00

-51.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.46 NOK 23.32

-24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$3.61 NOK 34.27

-37.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.73 NOK 25.95

-61.17%

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

$14.74 NOK 140

-71.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$19.10 NOK 181

-45.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$3.49 NOK 33.12

-50.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.64 NOK 34.55

-28.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$5.02 NOK 47.66

-89.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$84.3 NOK 800

-68.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$12.90 NOK 122

-75.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.38 NOK 13.08

81.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$50.9 NOK 483

-93.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.18 NOK 20.64

-41.74%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$29.8K NOK 283.0K

1.86%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$30.0K NOK 284.6K

-21.41%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$253 NOK 2,399

-67.16%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$47.87 NOK 454

-52.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$76.0 NOK 722

-61.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$53.1 NOK 504

-3.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$25.25 NOK 240

-27.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$16.76 NOK 159

-70.58%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$329 NOK 3,123

-40.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$7,227 NOK 68.6K

-26.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$88.8 NOK 843

-58.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$32.39 NOK 307

23.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$132 NOK 1,255

-39.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$136 NOK 1,287

-34.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$933 NOK 8,857

2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$692 NOK 6,568

-31.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,569 NOK 14.9K

4.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,184 NOK 11.2K

3.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$5,236 NOK 49.7K

-25.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$4,701 NOK 44.6K

37.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$3,636 NOK 34.5K

-81.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.27

167.45%

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 Narvik: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $933 in Narvik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Narvik pays 445% 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 $90.0 in Narvik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $440 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 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Narvik earns 445% 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 $933 in Narvik. 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 $2,282 in Narvik – a 80% 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 213% less than in Narvik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,282 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 80% less than in Narvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.