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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,274 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,550 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,827 in Porsgrunn, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 43% cheaper than Porsgrunn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Porsgrunn is 70% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$28.72 NOK 267

-59.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$102 NOK 944

-59.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$13.57 NOK 126

-21.59%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.83 NOK 44.89

-27.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.05 NOK 19.06

-26.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.06 NOK 19.10

-52.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$8.86 NOK 82.3

-66.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$9.68 NOK 89.9

-54.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.06 NOK 19.17

-33.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.43 NOK 31.86

-44.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.20 NOK 29.76

-48.75%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.48 NOK 23.02

1.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.29 NOK 95.6

-18.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.20 NOK 94.7

-18.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$35.45 NOK 329

-69.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.01 NOK 18.67

29.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.65 NOK 15.36

-11.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.45 NOK 22.80

-22.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.86 NOK 26.57

-27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.03 NOK 9.60

72.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.22 NOK 20.61

-1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.31 NOK 21.42

-54.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.83 NOK 16.98

-40.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$14.31 NOK 133

-71.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$19.06 NOK 177

-45.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.96 NOK 27.46

-42.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.96 NOK 36.74

-34.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.39 NOK 31.47

-84.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$72.6 NOK 674

-63.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$10.04 NOK 93.3

-67.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.45 NOK 13.51

71.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$101 NOK 941

-96.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.00 NOK 18.56

-34.50%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$35.8K NOK 332.4K

-15.36%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$38.0K NOK 352.7K

-38.29%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$223 NOK 2,068

-62.77%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$43.15 NOK 401

-48.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$38.10 NOK 354

-22.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$49.78 NOK 462

3.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.51 NOK 330

-48.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$14.80 NOK 137

-65.74%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$312 NOK 2,898

-35.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$10.3K NOK 95.3K

-49.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$50.3 NOK 467

-26.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$29.87 NOK 277

33.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$69.7 NOK 647

12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$102 NOK 949

-14.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,219 NOK 11.3K

-20.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$909 NOK 8,449

-48.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,840 NOK 17.1K

-10.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,546 NOK 14.4K

-21.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,571 NOK 33.2K

-81.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.8

200.53%

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 Porsgrunn: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,219 in Porsgrunn. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 438% higher in Porsgrunn, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $102 in Porsgrunn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $409 – 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 75%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,410 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $2,274 in Porsgrunn. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 174% 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 $1,297, than in Porsgrunn at $2,274. 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.