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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,499 in Norsup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,290 in Norsup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,080 in Norsup.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 64% less than in Norsup, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Norsup is 156% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$4.15 VUV 482

-59.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$4.17 VUV 483

-47.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$4.10 VUV 476

-58.29%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$5.00 VUV 580

-45.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$12.69 VUV 1,472

-24.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.29 VUV 962

8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$15.38 VUV 1,784

-16.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$4.19 VUV 486

-31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$4.24 VUV 492

-64.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$4.12 VUV 478

-47.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$4.33 VUV 503

-47.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$4.19 VUV 486

-52.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$4.28 VUV 497

-53.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$4.12 VUV 478

-70.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$4.15 VUV 481

-71.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$16.57 VUV 1,922

-72.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$16.70 VUV 1,936

-37.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$4.32 VUV 501

-62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$4.29 VUV 497

-32.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

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

$25.20 MX$433

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

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

$224 MX$3,839

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$2,946 VUV 341.6K

-86.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$294 VUV 34.0K

158.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Norsup: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 158% 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 176% 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 158% 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 74% higher in Norsup. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,499 in Norsup – a 176% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,499 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 $1,266 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 176% less than in Norsup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.