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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,141 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,597 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,053 in Oslo.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 59% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Oslo is 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$25.53 NOK 238

-54.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$123 NOK 1,144

-66.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$15.15 NOK 141

-29.77%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$4.86 NOK 45.41

-27.57%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$4.08 NOK 38.14

-62.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$3.19 NOK 29.79

-69.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$12.02 NOK 112

-75.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$11.22 NOK 105

-60.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$2.39 NOK 22.35

-42.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$4.09 NOK 38.17

-53.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$3.66 NOK 34.19

-55.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$5.03 NOK 47.00

-50.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$13.46 NOK 126

-38.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$16.04 NOK 150

-48.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$30.76 NOK 287

-65.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$3.49 NOK 32.63

-25.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$2.63 NOK 24.53

-44.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$3.35 NOK 31.32

-43.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$5.16 NOK 48.20

-59.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$2.43 NOK 22.69

-26.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$2.71 NOK 25.33

-19.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$2.85 NOK 26.61

-63.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.34 NOK 21.84

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$17.19 NOK 160

-76.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$18.93 NOK 177

-45.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$3.35 NOK 31.28

-48.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$4.38 NOK 40.87

-41.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$4.31 NOK 40.20

-88.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$77.9 NOK 727

-66.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$10.04 NOK 93.8

-67.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$1.38 NOK 12.93

80.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$42.24 NOK 394

-92.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$2.18 NOK 20.34

-39.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$36.5K NOK 340.5K

-16.98%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$42.7K NOK 398.5K

-45.10%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$304 NOK 2,834

-72.71%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$31.63 NOK 295

-29.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$57.0 NOK 532

-48.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$57.8 NOK 539

-10.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$28.64 NOK 267

-36.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$18.01 NOK 168

-71.85%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$274 NOK 2,556

-26.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$14.5K NOK 135.8K

-64.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$106 NOK 987

-65.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$65.4 NOK 611

-39.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$124 NOK 1,158

-36.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$168 NOK 1,572

-48.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,671 NOK 15.6K

-41.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$1,446 NOK 13.5K

-67.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,749 NOK 25.7K

-40.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$2,165 NOK 20.2K

-43.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$12.0K NOK 112.2K

-67.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$7,295 NOK 68.1K

-10.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,411 NOK 41.2K

-84.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.08

124.80%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Oslo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,671 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 564% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $122 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $500 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 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Oslo earns 564% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,671 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,141 in Oslo – a 142% 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 194% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,141 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 142% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.