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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,173 in Stokke, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,389 in Stokke, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,606 in Stokke, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 42% cheaper than Stokke, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Stokke is 63% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$28.45 NOK 270

-58.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$99.9 NOK 948

-58.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$13.62 NOK 129

-22.83%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.90 NOK 46.43

-26.73%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.49 NOK 23.58

-39.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.05 NOK 19.45

-55.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$8.48 NOK 80.4

-65.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$8.92 NOK 84.6

-50.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.98 NOK 18.78

-29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.97 NOK 18.66

-4.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.48 NOK 23.48

-37.10%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.42 NOK 32.40

-23.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.39 NOK 98.5

-19.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$13.35 NOK 127

-37.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$35.76 NOK 339

-69.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.80 NOK 26.56

-3.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.15 NOK 20.39

-29.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.01 NOK 28.51

-37.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$3.49 NOK 33.14

-37.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.25 NOK 21.37

-17.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.87 NOK 17.72

19.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.36 NOK 22.38

-54.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.70 NOK 16.13

-35.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$14.15 NOK 134

-70.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$14.47 NOK 137

-27.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$3.33 NOK 31.61

-50.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.86 NOK 36.63

-32.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.84 NOK 36.40

-85.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$65.2 NOK 618

-59.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$15.01 NOK 142

-79.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.44 NOK 13.64

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$102 NOK 969

-96.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.16 NOK 20.44

-39.35%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$35.3K NOK 335.2K

-15.67%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$38.1K NOK 361.5K

-38.82%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$210 NOK 1,988

-61.24%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$29.76 NOK 282

-24.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$37.96 NOK 360

-20.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$54.8 NOK 519

-3.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$35.29 NOK 335

-47.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$15.21 NOK 144

-67.65%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$307 NOK 2,915

-34.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$9,933 NOK 94.2K

-47.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$69.5 NOK 659

-48.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$22.68 NOK 215

76.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$74.5 NOK 706

7.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$124 NOK 1,174

-30.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,202 NOK 11.4K

-18.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$766 NOK 7,262

-38.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,825 NOK 17.3K

-9.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,196 NOK 11.3K

0.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$5,782 NOK 54.8K

-31.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$4,020 NOK 38.1K

64.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$3,374 NOK 32.0K

-79.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.96

482.65%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Stokke: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,202 in Stokke. 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 399% higher in Stokke, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $100 in Stokke. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $418 – 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 Stokke: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stokke is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,260 in Stokke. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $2,173 in Stokke. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 149% 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 $1,260, than in Stokke at $2,173. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stokke 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, Stokke makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.