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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,357 in Skien, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,341 in Skien, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,326 in Skien, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 45% cheaper than Skien, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Skien is 72% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$21.53 NOK 200

-45.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$106 NOK 989

-56.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$15.84 NOK 147

-26.45%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$5.47 NOK 50.8

-25.23%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$4.23 NOK 39.25

-67.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$3.20 NOK 29.70

-74.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$12.01 NOK 112

-72.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$12.63 NOK 117

-45.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.07 NOK 19.24

-16.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$3.95 NOK 36.69

-42.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$4.67 NOK 43.37

-62.10%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$5.80 NOK 53.8

-52.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$13.58 NOK 126

-32.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$15.54 NOK 144

-42.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$22.90 NOK 213

-44.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.40 NOK 31.61

-11.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.76 NOK 25.60

-43.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$3.46 NOK 32.11

-38.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$6.05 NOK 56.2

-62.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$2.38 NOK 22.06

-15.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$2.99 NOK 27.75

-31.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$3.06 NOK 28.42

-61.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$2.45 NOK 22.78

-51.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$19.12 NOK 177

-75.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$16.30 NOK 151

-34.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$3.52 NOK 32.67

-53.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$4.44 NOK 41.20

-35.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$3.47 NOK 32.20

-83.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$48.24 NOK 448

-38.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$11.14 NOK 103

-51.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.91 NOK 17.75

93.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$72.6 NOK 674

-91.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$2.25 NOK 20.89

-31.11%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

-54.01%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

-40.93%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$97.8 NOK 908

-8.87%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$33.45 NOK 311

-25.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$58.5 NOK 543

-46.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$41.06 NOK 381

65.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$15.30 NOK 142

-66.99%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$244 NOK 2,266

-7.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

-73.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$63.0 NOK 585

-24.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$60.9 NOK 565

-26.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$90.7 NOK 842

-9.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$161 NOK 1,495

-42.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

-0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$987 NOK 9,168

-58.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,050 NOK 9,751

84.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$971 NOK 9,017

33.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

10.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

108.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

-82.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.37

162.01%

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 Skien: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,080 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 473% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $106 in Skien. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $481 – 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 82%, 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 $3,536 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $2,357 in Skien. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% 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 Skien at $2,357. 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.