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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,347 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,223 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,098 in Skien, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 46% cheaper than Skien, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Skien is 76% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$28.93 NOK 279

-58.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$99.7 NOK 961

-58.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$13.15 NOK 127

-18.25%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$4.94 NOK 47.68

-29.15%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.52 NOK 24.31

-42.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.23 NOK 21.50

-60.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$9.22 NOK 88.9

-68.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$9.88 NOK 95.2

-54.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.94 NOK 18.68

-26.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.41 NOK 32.91

-46.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.33 NOK 32.11

-52.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$4.22 NOK 40.65

-40.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.58 NOK 112

-28.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$14.14 NOK 136

-40.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$25.44 NOK 245

-58.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.75 NOK 36.15

-30.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.26 NOK 21.76

-36.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.27 NOK 31.49

-40.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$4.02 NOK 38.77

-48.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.22 NOK 21.44

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.12 NOK 20.42

2.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$3.00 NOK 28.90

-65.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.89 NOK 18.26

-43.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$19.24 NOK 185

-78.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$15.31 NOK 148

-33.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$3.29 NOK 31.75

-48.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.86 NOK 37.21

-34.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$2.67 NOK 25.76

-80.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$43.34 NOK 418

-39.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$35.68 NOK 344

-90.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.45 NOK 13.93

66.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$100 NOK 967

-96.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.18 NOK 21.01

-39.45%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$25.6K NOK 247.1K

15.90%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$35.6K NOK 343.7K

-33.61%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$98.7 NOK 951

-16.87%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$38.06 NOK 367

-39.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$38.32 NOK 370

-21.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$37.33 NOK 360

39.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$35.73 NOK 345

-48.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$13.95 NOK 135

-64.30%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$307 NOK 2,957

-35.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$10.2K NOK 98.4K

-47.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$39.71 NOK 383

-10.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$35.38 NOK 341

13.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$90.2 NOK 869

-12.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$152 NOK 1,464

-41.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$971 NOK 9,366

-2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$976 NOK 9,407

-51.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,122 NOK 10.8K

46.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$914 NOK 8,817

32.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$3,335 NOK 32.2K

21.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$3,041 NOK 29.3K

112.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$4,036 NOK 38.9K

-83.80%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Skien: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $971 in Skien. 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 517% higher in Skien, 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 $100 in Skien. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $431 – 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 Skien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skien is pricier by about 87%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,520 in Skien. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $2,347 in Skien. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% 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 $1,256, than in Skien at $2,347. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skien 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, Skien makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.