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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,304 in Narvik.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,451 in Narvik.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,597 in Narvik.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 45% less than in Narvik, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Narvik is 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$20.19 NOK 191

-41.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$91.7 NOK 867

-54.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$15.00 NOK 142

-29.93%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$5.58 NOK 52.8

-35.66%

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

$1.51 MX$26.14

$2.50 NOK 23.68

-39.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$2.45 NOK 23.21

-62.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$11.03 NOK 104

-73.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$10.91 NOK 103

-59.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$2.41 NOK 22.79

-41.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$3.22 NOK 30.43

-41.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$2.54 NOK 24.05

-38.58%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.21

$4.93 NOK 46.61

-47.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.28 NOK 107

-26.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$15.14 NOK 143

-44.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$21.66 NOK 205

-49.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$3.43 NOK 32.46

-20.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$2.03 NOK 19.24

-25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$3.70 NOK 34.99

-49.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.95

$4.25 NOK 40.26

-48.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.19

$2.42 NOK 22.88

-23.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.65

$3.51 NOK 33.25

-36.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$2.65 NOK 25.10

-59.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$1.76 NOK 16.69

-38.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$14.75 NOK 140

-71.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$18.61 NOK 176

-43.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$3.46 NOK 32.73

-52.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

$3.55 NOK 33.62

-26.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$5.04 NOK 47.66

-89.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$85.9 NOK 813

-69.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$12.74 NOK 121

-75.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.67

$1.38 NOK 13.05

73.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$50.7 NOK 479

-93.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$2.08 NOK 19.66

-37.02%

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

$29.8K MX$516.5K

$30.3K NOK 286.9K

-1.70%

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$30.1K NOK 284.8K

-22.52%

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$249 NOK 2,353

-67.32%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$47.54 NOK 450

-52.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$75.7 NOK 716

-60.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$53.3 NOK 504

-0.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$25.78 NOK 244

-28.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.3

$16.77 NOK 159

-70.66%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$336 NOK 3,180

-40.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$7,144 NOK 67.6K

-27.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$89.8 NOK 850

-60.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$32.25 NOK 305

24.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$133 NOK 1,257

-40.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$135 NOK 1,279

-36.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$926 NOK 8,763

5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,153

$705 NOK 6,667

-33.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,579 NOK 14.9K

4.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$1,199 NOK 11.3K

0.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

$5,190 NOK 49.1K

-23.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

$4,714 NOK 44.6K

40.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$3,525 NOK 33.4K

-80.81%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Narvik: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $926 in Narvik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Narvik pays 421% 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 $92.0 in Narvik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $434 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 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 421% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $926 in Narvik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,304 in Narvik – a 83% 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 228% less than in Narvik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,304 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 83% less than in Narvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.