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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,449 in Norsup.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,241 in Norsup.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,033 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 4% below, Norsup is 158% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$4.28 VUV 507

-66.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$4.28 VUV 507

-56.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$4.31 VUV 511

-62.18%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$5.10 VUV 604

-48.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.60 VUV 1,492

-34.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$8.25 VUV 978

0.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$15.04 VUV 1,781

-26.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.28 VUV 506

-38.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$4.30 VUV 509

-65.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$4.12 VUV 487

-51.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.17 VUV 493

-50.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$4.12 VUV 487

-56.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$4.19 VUV 496

-47.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$4.32 VUV 512

-75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$2.26 VUV 268

-53.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$16.63 VUV 1,970

-76.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$16.44 VUV 1,947

-37.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$4.15 VUV 491

-58.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$4.29 VUV 508

-41.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$2,897 VUV 343.1K

-83.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$7,000 VUV 829.1K

-43.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$2,469 VUV 292.5K

161.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$484 VUV 57.3K

48.82%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Norsup: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 49% 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 168% 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 49% 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 83% higher in Norsup. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,449 in Norsup – a 168% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,449 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 $1,287 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 168% less than in Norsup. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.