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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,773 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,172 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,570 in Stavanger, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Stavanger is 108% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$25.16 NOK 238

-53.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$120 NOK 1,137

-65.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$14.88 NOK 141

-30.04%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$5.21 NOK 49.33

-30.71%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$3.91 NOK 37.04

-62.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$3.35 NOK 31.75

-71.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$10.96 NOK 104

-73.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$10.32 NOK 97.8

-55.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.34 NOK 22.21

-38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$3.14 NOK 29.78

-39.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$4.45 NOK 42.15

-64.72%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$4.47 NOK 42.30

-40.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$13.02 NOK 123

-35.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$16.38 NOK 155

-47.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$27.93 NOK 265

-60.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.59 NOK 34.00

-24.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.55 NOK 24.13

-40.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$3.06 NOK 28.99

-37.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$4.74 NOK 44.89

-54.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.15 NOK 20.36

-13.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.91 NOK 27.57

-23.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.53 NOK 23.96

-57.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.74 NOK 16.51

-38.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$14.98 NOK 142

-72.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$18.43 NOK 175

-44.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$3.62 NOK 34.32

-53.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$4.14 NOK 39.23

-38.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$4.45 NOK 42.11

-87.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$68.1 NOK 645

-61.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$15.31 NOK 145

-79.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$2.13 NOK 20.21

15.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$100 NOK 951

-96.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$2.22 NOK 21.07

-40.54%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$34.2K NOK 324.3K

-11.94%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$33.3K NOK 315.6K

-29.78%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$191 NOK 1,812

-57.47%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$42.07 NOK 398

-46.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$81.5 NOK 772

-63.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$55.9 NOK 530

-7.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$35.10 NOK 332

-47.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$18.95 NOK 180

-72.77%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$314 NOK 2,976

-35.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$12.8K NOK 121.5K

-58.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$117 NOK 1,110

-69.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$60.1 NOK 569

-32.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$105 NOK 994

-25.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$156 NOK 1,480

-44.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$1,591 NOK 15.1K

-40.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$1,148 NOK 10.9K

-58.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$2,775 NOK 26.3K

-41.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$1,773 NOK 16.8K

-31.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$6,070 NOK 57.5K

-33.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$5,176 NOK 49.0K

25.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$4,897 NOK 46.4K

-86.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.51

153.22%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,591 in Stavanger. 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 628% higher in Stavanger, 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 $120 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $471 – 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 Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 114%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,160 in Stavanger. 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $2,773 in Stavanger. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 159% 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 $1,294, than in Stavanger at $2,773. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger 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, Stavanger makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.