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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,203 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,686 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,170 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 6% below, Oslo is 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$25.37 NOK 245

-52.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$120 NOK 1,164

-65.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$14.96 NOK 145

-28.14%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$5.08 NOK 49.07

-31.10%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$4.10 NOK 39.66

-64.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$3.19 NOK 30.85

-72.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$12.37 NOK 120

-76.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$11.03 NOK 107

-59.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.40 NOK 23.24

-40.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$4.03 NOK 39.00

-54.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$3.67 NOK 35.50

-57.22%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.95 NOK 47.82

-49.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.66 NOK 132

-39.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$16.41 NOK 159

-48.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$31.39 NOK 303

-65.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.60 NOK 34.85

-27.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.63 NOK 25.44

-45.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.45 NOK 33.39

-43.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$5.07 NOK 48.98

-58.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.51 NOK 24.22

-26.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.71 NOK 26.22

-19.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.78 NOK 26.83

-62.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$2.41 NOK 23.25

-55.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$17.46 NOK 169

-76.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$18.64 NOK 180

-45.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$3.41 NOK 33.00

-50.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$4.35 NOK 42.06

-41.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$4.18 NOK 40.44

-87.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$79.6 NOK 769

-67.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$10.20 NOK 98.6

-68.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.41 NOK 13.60

70.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$41.75 NOK 404

-92.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$2.27 NOK 21.96

-41.85%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$36.7K NOK 354.3K

-18.98%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$42.3K NOK 409.3K

-44.11%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$296 NOK 2,863

-72.30%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$31.29 NOK 302

-26.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$55.5 NOK 536

-45.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$57.4 NOK 554

-9.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$28.40 NOK 275

-34.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$18.01 NOK 174

-72.35%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$274 NOK 2,653

-28.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$14.7K NOK 141.9K

-63.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$103 NOK 999

-65.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$64.5 NOK 623

-37.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$121 NOK 1,169

-34.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$168 NOK 1,620

-46.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

-44.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

-67.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,677 NOK 25.9K

-38.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$2,180 NOK 21.1K

-44.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$11.5K NOK 111.3K

-64.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$6,961 NOK 67.3K

-7.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$4,256 NOK 41.1K

-84.64%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $1,700 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 551% 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 $120 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $505 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 155% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 551% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,700 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,203 in Oslo – a 155% 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 206% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,203 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 155% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.