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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,393 in Norsup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,210 in Norsup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,027 in Norsup.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 63% less than in Norsup, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Norsup is 152% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$4.25 VUV 493

-67.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$4.18 VUV 485

-55.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$4.26 VUV 494

-62.21%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$5.09 VUV 591

-49.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.45 VUV 1,444

-33.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$8.40 VUV 975

-0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$15.31 VUV 1,776

-30.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$4.30 VUV 499

-38.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$4.24 VUV 492

-64.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$4.11 VUV 477

-53.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.25 VUV 493

-50.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$4.24 VUV 492

-56.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$4.20 VUV 487

-46.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$4.26 VUV 494

-75.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$2.27 VUV 263

-51.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$16.98 VUV 1,971

-75.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$16.71 VUV 1,939

-37.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$4.29 VUV 498

-59.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$4.17 VUV 484

-37.41%

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$2,952 VUV 342.6K

-83.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

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

$292 VUV 33.9K

128.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Norsup: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 128% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Norsup: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 167% lower than in Norsup. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Playa del Carmen pays 128% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 84% higher in Norsup. 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 $3,393 in Norsup – a 167% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,393 in Norsup, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Norsup. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,271 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Norsup 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 167% less than in Norsup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.