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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,546 in Stokke, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,941 in Stokke, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,337 in Stokke, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 50% cheaper than Stokke, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Stokke is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$21.34 NOK 201

-45.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$130 NOK 1,225

-63.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$15.95 NOK 150

-25.52%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$5.92 NOK 55.8

-32.77%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$4.06 NOK 38.28

-64.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$3.39 NOK 31.98

-75.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$11.95 NOK 113

-73.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$12.84 NOK 121

-47.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$2.18 NOK 20.49

-22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$2.12 NOK 20.02

3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$4.70 NOK 44.26

-63.62%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$4.96 NOK 46.74

-44.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$10.77 NOK 101

-11.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$15.35 NOK 145

-41.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$29.99 NOK 283

-57.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.26 NOK 30.73

-11.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$2.59 NOK 24.39

-42.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$3.62 NOK 34.11

-40.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$5.89 NOK 55.5

-61.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$2.42 NOK 22.84

-18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.85 NOK 26.87

-30.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$2.50 NOK 23.55

-50.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.87 NOK 8.20

37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$17.54 NOK 165

-74.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$15.31 NOK 144

-32.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$3.62 NOK 34.12

-55.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$4.11 NOK 38.69

-29.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$4.49 NOK 42.27

-86.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$79.6 NOK 750

-63.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$12.03 NOK 113

-55.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.90 NOK 17.88

96.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$72.0 NOK 678

-91.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$2.38 NOK 22.38

-35.29%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$50.0K NOK 471.3K

-54.93%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$45.1K NOK 425.1K

-42.26%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$268 NOK 2,527

-65.93%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$32.45 NOK 306

-22.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$55.9 NOK 527

-44.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$58.1 NOK 548

15.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$32.36 NOK 305

-10.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$15.96 NOK 150

-69.55%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$247 NOK 2,330

-9.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$16.2K NOK 152.2K

-73.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$85.3 NOK 804

-44.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$21.23 NOK 200

108.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$53.1 NOK 500

50.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$98.1 NOK 924

-5.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$1,296 NOK 12.2K

-18.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$1,022 NOK 9,625

-61.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$2,314 NOK 21.8K

-7.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$1,720 NOK 16.2K

-26.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$6,864 NOK 64.7K

-41.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$3,901 NOK 36.8K

66.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$3,501 NOK 33.0K

-78.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.98

129.92%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Stokke: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,296 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 362% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $130 in Stokke. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $447 – 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 101%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,819 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $2,546 in Stokke. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 176% 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 $1,266, than in Stokke at $2,546. 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.