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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,742 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,904 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,066 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 53% cheaper than Porsgrunn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Porsgrunn is 100% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$21.25 NOK 197

-44.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$108 NOK 1,000

-56.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$16.19 NOK 150

-28.04%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$5.86 NOK 54.4

-30.20%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$3.62 NOK 33.65

-62.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$3.12 NOK 28.92

-73.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$11.67 NOK 108

-71.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$10.69 NOK 99.3

-35.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.57 NOK 23.88

-32.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$4.32 NOK 40.10

-47.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$4.60 NOK 42.72

-61.52%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$5.92 NOK 55.0

-53.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$14.91 NOK 138

-38.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$15.40 NOK 143

-42.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$29.64 NOK 275

-57.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.43 NOK 31.89

-11.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.67 NOK 24.81

-41.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$3.57 NOK 33.18

-40.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$5.83 NOK 54.1

-61.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$2.73 NOK 25.37

-26.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$2.92 NOK 27.07

-29.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$3.12 NOK 28.99

-62.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$2.53 NOK 23.50

-52.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$19.32 NOK 179

-76.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$16.94 NOK 157

-36.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$3.49 NOK 32.39

-53.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$4.24 NOK 39.37

-32.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$2.74 NOK 25.45

-79.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$50.2 NOK 466

-40.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$12.44 NOK 115

-56.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.89 NOK 17.59

95.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$70.6 NOK 656

-91.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$2.28 NOK 21.16

-32.02%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$49.9K NOK 463.2K

-55.25%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$46.3K NOK 429.8K

-43.95%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$421 NOK 3,912

-78.84%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$33.19 NOK 308

-24.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$57.6 NOK 534

-45.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$19.48 NOK 181

-74.08%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$250 NOK 2,318

-9.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$16.0K NOK 148.6K

-73.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$101 NOK 938

-53.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$62.2 NOK 578

-27.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$134 NOK 1,244

-38.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$161 NOK 1,499

-42.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$835 NOK 7,754

28.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$950 NOK 8,818

-57.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,600 NOK 14.9K

20.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,273 NOK 11.8K

2.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.8

201.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Porsgrunn: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $835 in Porsgrunn. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $108 in Porsgrunn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $515 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Porsgrunn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Porsgrunn is pricier by about 112%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,113 in Porsgrunn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $2,742 in Porsgrunn. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Porsgrunn at $2,742. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Porsgrunn it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Porsgrunn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.