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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,011 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,053 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,095 in Steinkjer, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 38% cheaper than Steinkjer, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Steinkjer is 51% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$22.75 NOK 219

-47.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$55.3 NOK 533

-24.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$13.35 NOK 129

-19.48%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$4.44 NOK 42.78

-21.17%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$3.68 NOK 35.51

-60.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.95 NOK 28.42

-70.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$10.31 NOK 99.4

-71.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$6.15 NOK 59.3

-26.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.99 NOK 19.23

-28.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.65 NOK 35.24

-49.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.03 NOK 29.19

-48.18%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$4.49 NOK 43.33

-44.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.31 NOK 99.5

-19.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$14.95 NOK 144

-43.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$28.55 NOK 275

-62.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.76 NOK 36.24

-30.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.26 NOK 21.80

-36.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.63 NOK 25.34

-25.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$5.08 NOK 49.02

-58.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.99 NOK 19.15

-7.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.01 NOK 19.35

7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.60 NOK 25.12

-60.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$2.40 NOK 23.17

-55.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$14.01 NOK 135

-70.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$18.06 NOK 174

-43.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$3.59 NOK 34.64

-53.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$4.60 NOK 44.38

-45.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$3.93 NOK 37.88

-87.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$74.7 NOK 720

-65.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$15.06 NOK 145

-78.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$2.20 NOK 21.19

9.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$87.7 NOK 845

-96.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.04 NOK 19.68

-35.29%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$31.4K NOK 303.2K

-5.55%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$42.5K NOK 410.2K

-44.37%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$150 NOK 1,447

-45.33%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$42.93 NOK 414

-46.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$50.6 NOK 488

-40.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$30.69 NOK 296

69.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$35.73 NOK 345

-48.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$15.06 NOK 145

-66.93%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$330 NOK 3,185

-40.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$8,521 NOK 82.2K

-37.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$50.4 NOK 486

-29.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$30.83 NOK 297

30.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$60.3 NOK 581

30.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$132 NOK 1,273

-32.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,011 NOK 9,749

-6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$657 NOK 6,337

-27.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,530 NOK 14.8K

7.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,026 NOK 9,892

18.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$6,066 NOK 58.5K

-33.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$3,692 NOK 35.6K

75.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Steinkjer: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,011 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 $459 – 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 60%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,017 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $2,011 in Steinkjer. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 187% 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 $1,256, than in Steinkjer at $2,011. 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.