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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,748 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,954 in Steinkjer, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,161 in Steinkjer, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Steinkjer is 100% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$21.44 NOK 199

-45.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$59.4 NOK 551

-21.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$14.16 NOK 131

-17.73%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$4.96 NOK 46.07

-17.54%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$5.74 NOK 53.3

-76.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$4.23 NOK 39.25

-80.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$10.62 NOK 98.6

-68.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$6.55 NOK 60.8

5.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.59 NOK 24.08

-33.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$3.56 NOK 33.06

-36.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$3.88 NOK 35.99

-54.38%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$4.85 NOK 45.01

-43.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$13.50 NOK 125

-32.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$16.65 NOK 155

-46.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$29.88 NOK 277

-57.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$4.05 NOK 37.56

-25.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.92 NOK 27.11

-46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$3.94 NOK 36.58

-45.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$5.69 NOK 52.8

-60.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$2.95 NOK 27.36

-32.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$3.05 NOK 28.35

-32.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$2.94 NOK 27.29

-59.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$2.26 NOK 21.02

-46.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$17.78 NOK 165

-73.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$18.66 NOK 173

-42.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$3.67 NOK 34.11

-55.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$4.53 NOK 42.06

-36.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$4.31 NOK 40.05

-86.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$87.0 NOK 808

-65.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$9.58 NOK 89.0

-43.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.67 NOK 15.55

121.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$61.8 NOK 574

-90.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$2.34 NOK 21.72

-33.76%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$46.0K NOK 426.8K

-51.43%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$45.9K NOK 426.2K

-43.47%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$276 NOK 2,564

-67.72%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$36.55 NOK 339

-31.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$83.1 NOK 772

-62.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$53.6 NOK 498

26.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$42.75 NOK 397

-32.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$16.01 NOK 149

-68.46%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$303 NOK 2,814

-25.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$4,430 NOK 41.1K

-4.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$110 NOK 1,017

-56.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$51.0 NOK 473

-11.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$122 NOK 1,132

-32.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$162 NOK 1,503

-43.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,247 NOK 11.6K

-14.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$1,129 NOK 10.5K

-64.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,832 NOK 17.0K

5.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,898 NOK 17.6K

-31.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$6,007 NOK 55.8K

-33.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$3,779 NOK 35.1K

75.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.32

115.23%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Steinkjer: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,247 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in Steinkjer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $510 – 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 112%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,122 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $2,748 in Steinkjer. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 192% 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 $1,293, than in Steinkjer at $2,748. 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.