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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,695 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,140 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,584 in Stavanger, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 52% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Stavanger is 101% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$25.22 NOK 235

-52.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$119 NOK 1,113

-64.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$15.32 NOK 143

-30.87%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$5.05 NOK 47.09

-28.32%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$4.01 NOK 37.36

-63.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$3.46 NOK 32.25

-72.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$11.16 NOK 104

-72.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$9.94 NOK 92.7

-55.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.45 NOK 22.84

-41.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.10 NOK 28.90

-39.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$4.61 NOK 42.97

-64.64%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.34 NOK 40.44

-39.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.93 NOK 120

-36.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$16.27 NOK 152

-49.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$27.67 NOK 258

-59.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.41 NOK 31.76

-22.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.62 NOK 24.42

-42.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.01 NOK 28.07

-33.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.55 NOK 42.42

-54.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.07 NOK 19.28

-13.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.99 NOK 27.85

-27.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.47 NOK 23.00

-56.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.84 NOK 17.14

-43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$15.09 NOK 141

-73.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$19.20 NOK 179

-46.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$3.55 NOK 33.07

-51.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$4.01 NOK 37.39

-37.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$4.48 NOK 41.78

-88.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$66.9 NOK 623

-59.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$15.00 NOK 140

-79.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.09 NOK 19.44

14.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$102 NOK 951

-96.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.11 NOK 19.66

-39.81%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$33.8K NOK 315.5K

-8.76%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.0K NOK 307.7K

-29.39%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$191 NOK 1,782

-57.10%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$43.15 NOK 402

-47.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$80.5 NOK 750

-63.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$56.0 NOK 522

-7.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$35.16 NOK 328

-46.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$19.31 NOK 180

-74.26%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$322 NOK 2,998

-38.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$13.2K NOK 123.5K

-60.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$117 NOK 1,087

-68.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$58.7 NOK 547

-31.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$107 NOK 994

-25.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$159 NOK 1,484

-44.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,580 NOK 14.7K

-39.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,123 NOK 10.5K

-58.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,783 NOK 25.9K

-42.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,781 NOK 16.6K

-32.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$5,940 NOK 55.4K

-33.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$5,361 NOK 50.0K

20.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$5,014 NOK 46.7K

-85.63%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,580 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 596% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $119 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $470 – 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 109%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,042 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $2,695 in Stavanger. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 148% 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 $1,287, than in Stavanger at $2,695. 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.