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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,218 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,688 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,159 in Stavanger, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 59% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Stavanger is 135% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$25.87 NOK 242

-49.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$96.6 NOK 902

-52.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$15.77 NOK 147

-20.16%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$6.34 NOK 59.2

-36.91%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$5.42 NOK 50.6

-73.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$4.47 NOK 41.76

-81.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$13.85 NOK 129

-77.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$12.25 NOK 114

-44.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$2.36 NOK 22.03

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$3.64 NOK 33.96

-39.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$3.92 NOK 36.60

-56.12%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$4.95 NOK 46.20

-45.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$14.89 NOK 139

-37.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$16.94 NOK 158

-47.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$36.00 NOK 336

-64.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$3.60 NOK 33.65

-13.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.79 NOK 26.06

-44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$3.57 NOK 33.32

-39.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$4.84 NOK 45.23

-51.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$2.54 NOK 23.75

-20.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$3.18 NOK 29.74

-37.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$2.86 NOK 26.68

-56.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$2.38 NOK 22.19

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$17.32 NOK 162

-73.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$18.61 NOK 174

-43.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$3.92 NOK 36.60

-59.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$4.64 NOK 43.31

-37.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$4.85 NOK 45.32

-88.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$81.3 NOK 759

-63.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$6.44 NOK 60.1

-17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$1.72 NOK 16.08

116.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$104 NOK 974

-94.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$2.27 NOK 21.23

-31.72%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$49.3K NOK 460.3K

-54.62%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$42.5K NOK 397.3K

-39.89%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$254 NOK 2,375

-64.89%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$35.83 NOK 335

-34.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$83.3 NOK 778

-61.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$52.1 NOK 486

32.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$37.77 NOK 353

-22.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$22.24 NOK 208

-77.25%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$326 NOK 3,043

-31.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$14.3K NOK 133.5K

-69.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$126 NOK 1,181

-63.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$59.6 NOK 557

-25.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$156 NOK 1,457

-38.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$207 NOK 1,936

-55.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,732 NOK 16.2K

-38.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$1,379 NOK 12.9K

-71.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$2,747 NOK 25.7K

-27.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$2,094 NOK 19.6K

-37.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$6,334 NOK 59.2K

-36.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$5,318 NOK 49.7K

24.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$5,107 NOK 47.7K

-85.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

5.27

120.11%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,732 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 584% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $97.0 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $526 – 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 142%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,827 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $3,218 in Stavanger. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 173% 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 $1,330, than in Stavanger at $3,218. 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.