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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,061 in Njardvik.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,716 in Njardvik.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,371 in Njardvik.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 58% less than in Njardvik, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Njardvik is 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$24.24 ISK 3,018

-51.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$95.0 ISK 11.8K

-54.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$16.37 ISK 2,038

-34.94%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$5.97 ISK 743

-42.21%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.63 ISK 203

-7.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.33 ISK 290

-59.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$10.46 ISK 1,303

-71.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$11.41 ISK 1,420

-59.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.93 ISK 241

-28.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$4.35 ISK 541

-57.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.71 ISK 462

-56.60%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$6.32 ISK 787

-59.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$18.26 ISK 2,273

-54.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$24.23 ISK 3,016

-65.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$42.48 ISK 5,289

-74.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.32 ISK 413

-20.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.49 ISK 310

-40.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.97 ISK 370

-35.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$5.02 ISK 625

-58.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.52 ISK 438

-47.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.41 ISK 300

-6.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$3.10 ISK 386

-65.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$2.00 ISK 249

-45.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$13.52 ISK 1,683

-69.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$23.74 ISK 2,956

-56.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$3.74 ISK 465

-54.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.30 ISK 411

-20.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$6.48 ISK 807

-51.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.63 ISK 327

-4.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$87.2 ISK 10.9K

-96.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.56 ISK 319

-50.39%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$46.5K ISK 5.8M

-34.72%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$52.4K ISK 6.5M

-55.02%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$86.2 ISK 10.7K

-3.71%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$27.96 ISK 3,481

-18.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$85.9 ISK 10.7K

-65.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$81.3 ISK 10.1K

-37.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$17.85 ISK 2,223

-72.38%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$323 ISK 40.2K

-38.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$29.9K ISK 3.7M

-82.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$120 ISK 14.9K

-69.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$62.7 ISK 7,810

-36.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$185 ISK 23.0K

-56.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$264 ISK 32.9K

-66.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$1,459 ISK 181.7K

-67.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$2,667 ISK 332.0K

-54.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$3,931 ISK 489.4K

-83.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.63

18.59%

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 Njardvik: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Njardvik pays 489% 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 $95.0 in Njardvik for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $599 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 Njardvik: 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 141% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Njardvik earns 489% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 140% higher in Njardvik. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,061 in Njardvik – a 141% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,061 in Njardvik, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Njardvik. 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 Njardvik, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Njardvik 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 141% less than in Njardvik. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.