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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,387 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,974 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,560 in Oslo.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 61% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Oslo is 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$21.27 NOK 197

-43.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$128 NOK 1,185

-62.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$16.44 NOK 153

-28.53%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.90 NOK 54.7

-30.17%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$4.24 NOK 39.33

-66.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$3.57 NOK 33.09

-74.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$12.07 NOK 112

-73.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$12.80 NOK 119

-44.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.58 NOK 23.90

-34.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$4.34 NOK 40.29

-50.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$4.62 NOK 42.88

-61.69%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$6.15 NOK 57.1

-54.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$14.72 NOK 137

-37.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$15.54 NOK 144

-40.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$30.93 NOK 287

-59.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.35 NOK 31.04

-11.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.79 NOK 25.89

-43.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.47 NOK 32.23

-36.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$5.99 NOK 55.5

-60.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.69 NOK 24.95

-26.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.88 NOK 26.76

-31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$3.26 NOK 30.22

-61.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$2.56 NOK 23.76

-52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$19.43 NOK 180

-76.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$17.04 NOK 158

-38.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$3.60 NOK 33.38

-53.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.32 NOK 40.08

-35.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$4.98 NOK 46.20

-87.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$86.3 NOK 800

-65.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$12.52 NOK 116

-58.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.92 NOK 17.80

90.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$70.6 NOK 655

-91.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$2.26 NOK 20.96

-31.86%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$48.7K NOK 451.7K

-53.18%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$45.3K NOK 420.1K

-43.01%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$424 NOK 3,932

-78.61%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$32.72 NOK 304

-23.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$57.1 NOK 530

-44.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$60.3 NOK 559

14.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$29.67 NOK 275

-1.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$19.71 NOK 183

-75.34%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$252 NOK 2,336

-10.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$16.2K NOK 150.6K

-74.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$104 NOK 963

-54.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$62.7 NOK 582

-30.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$134 NOK 1,247

-40.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$162 NOK 1,502

-43.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$2,043 NOK 19.0K

-46.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,543 NOK 14.3K

-73.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$3,027 NOK 28.1K

-34.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$2,304 NOK 21.4K

-44.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$12.2K NOK 113.6K

-66.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$7,156 NOK 66.4K

-6.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$4,594 NOK 42.6K

-83.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.96

130.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Oslo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $2,043 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 494% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $128 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $523 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 Oslo: 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 160% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 494% lower in Oslo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,043 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,387 in Oslo – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 190% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,387 in Oslo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oslo. 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 Oslo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Oslo 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 160% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.