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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,281 in Narvik.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,445 in Narvik.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,609 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 4% below, Narvik is 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$20.04 NOK 187

-40.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$92.2 NOK 860

-53.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$15.01 NOK 140

-29.45%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$5.45 NOK 50.8

-33.58%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.54 NOK 23.71

-42.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.56 NOK 23.82

-63.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$11.00 NOK 102

-71.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$11.20 NOK 104

-60.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.39 NOK 22.25

-40.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.30 NOK 30.77

-43.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.48 NOK 23.12

-34.27%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.81 NOK 44.80

-45.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.42 NOK 106

-28.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$15.34 NOK 143

-45.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$21.71 NOK 202

-48.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.28 NOK 30.59

-19.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.06 NOK 19.20

-27.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.55 NOK 33.12

-43.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.24 NOK 39.54

-50.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.49 NOK 23.24

-28.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$3.63 NOK 33.86

-39.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.73 NOK 25.45

-60.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.76 NOK 16.45

-40.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$15.26 NOK 142

-73.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$19.75 NOK 184

-48.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$3.34 NOK 31.12

-48.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.52 NOK 32.84

-28.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$5.16 NOK 48.11

-89.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$85.5 NOK 797

-68.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$12.90 NOK 120

-75.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.38 NOK 12.91

73.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$51.2 NOK 477

-93.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.08 NOK 19.43

-38.94%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$30.2K NOK 281.5K

2.25%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$30.9K NOK 288.2K

-24.59%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$250 NOK 2,332

-67.23%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$48.29 NOK 450

-53.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$75.7 NOK 705

-60.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$55.0 NOK 512

-5.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$25.69 NOK 239

-27.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$17.03 NOK 159

-70.82%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$335 NOK 3,123

-40.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,159 NOK 66.7K

-26.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$90.7 NOK 845

-59.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$33.34 NOK 311

20.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$132 NOK 1,233

-39.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$136 NOK 1,264

-34.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$938 NOK 8,738

2.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$694 NOK 6,465

-33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,557 NOK 14.5K

2.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,174 NOK 10.9K

2.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$5,382 NOK 50.2K

-26.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$4,879 NOK 45.5K

32.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$3,657 NOK 34.1K

-80.30%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Narvik: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $938 in Narvik. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Narvik pays 408% 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 $92.0 in Narvik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $436 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 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Narvik earns 408% 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 $938 in Narvik. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,281 in Narvik – a 77% 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 217% less than in Narvik. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,281 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 77% less than in Narvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.