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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,407 in Norsup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,216 in Norsup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,026 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 156% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$4.28 VUV 497

-67.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$4.16 VUV 484

-54.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$4.16 VUV 483

-62.50%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$4.91 VUV 571

-46.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.39 VUV 1,439

-32.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$8.45 VUV 982

-1.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$15.12 VUV 1,756

-28.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.32 VUV 502

-37.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$4.19 VUV 486

-63.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$4.31 VUV 501

-56.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.29 VUV 499

-48.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$4.24 VUV 493

-56.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$4.11 VUV 478

-45.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$4.32 VUV 501

-75.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$2.17 VUV 252

-49.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$16.93 VUV 1,967

-75.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$16.84 VUV 1,956

-38.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$4.27 VUV 496

-61.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$4.24 VUV 493

-38.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$2,945 VUV 342.0K

-84.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$289 VUV 33.6K

134.00%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Norsup: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 134% 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 170% 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.

Average pay runs 134% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 82% higher in Norsup. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,407 in Norsup – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,407 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 $1,260 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 170% less than in Norsup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.