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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,040 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,013 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,985 in Steinkjer, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 36% cheaper than Steinkjer, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Steinkjer is 52% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$22.84 NOK 213

-48.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$54.9 NOK 511

-24.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$13.05 NOK 122

-18.47%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$4.64 NOK 43.19

-24.14%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$3.64 NOK 33.87

-58.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$2.87 NOK 26.75

-66.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$10.01 NOK 93.2

-70.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$6.13 NOK 57.0

-27.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.96 NOK 18.28

-29.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.63 NOK 33.80

-47.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.07 NOK 28.58

-46.58%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$4.64 NOK 43.22

-45.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.14 NOK 94.4

-17.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$15.08 NOK 140

-44.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$28.06 NOK 261

-61.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.93 NOK 36.61

-33.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.25 NOK 20.93

-35.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.57 NOK 23.97

-26.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$5.08 NOK 47.26

-59.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.03 NOK 18.94

-12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.06 NOK 19.22

6.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.51 NOK 23.39

-58.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$2.40 NOK 22.30

-55.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$14.41 NOK 134

-71.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$18.92 NOK 176

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$3.52 NOK 32.73

-51.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$4.81 NOK 44.78

-46.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$4.01 NOK 37.28

-87.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$74.3 NOK 692

-64.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$14.99 NOK 140

-78.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.23 NOK 20.77

11.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$89.5 NOK 833

-96.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.98 NOK 18.39

-33.84%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$31.8K NOK 296.0K

-4.76%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$42.7K NOK 397.4K

-45.12%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$150 NOK 1,400

-44.89%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$42.78 NOK 398

-48.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$50.6 NOK 471

-41.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$30.84 NOK 287

67.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$36.02 NOK 335

-49.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$15.26 NOK 142

-66.78%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$329 NOK 3,066

-39.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$8,468 NOK 78.8K

-38.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$50.9 NOK 474

-27.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$29.97 NOK 279

32.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$61.0 NOK 568

28.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$129 NOK 1,201

-32.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$1,022 NOK 9,519

-4.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$648 NOK 6,033

-27.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,530 NOK 14.2K

7.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$999 NOK 9,298

22.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$5,278 NOK 49.1K

-25.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$3,870 NOK 36.0K

67.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.5

661.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Steinkjer: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,022 in Steinkjer. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $55.0 in Steinkjer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $460 – 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 Steinkjer: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Steinkjer is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,060 in Steinkjer. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $2,040 in Steinkjer. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 181% 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 $1,297, than in Steinkjer at $2,040. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Steinkjer 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, Steinkjer makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.