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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,673 in Stokmarknes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,063 in Stokmarknes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,454 in Stokmarknes, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Stokmarknes is 95% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$22.08 NOK 208

-47.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$114 NOK 1,076

-58.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$13.91 NOK 131

-14.59%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$5.63 NOK 53.0

-29.31%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$3.86 NOK 36.35

-62.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$2.79 NOK 26.30

-70.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$10.37 NOK 97.7

-69.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$11.76 NOK 111

-42.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$2.59 NOK 24.42

-35.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$3.79 NOK 35.66

-41.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$3.95 NOK 37.17

-56.71%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$5.00 NOK 47.09

-45.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$13.71 NOK 129

-30.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$15.57 NOK 147

-42.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$29.93 NOK 282

-57.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.46 NOK 32.56

-16.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$2.72 NOK 25.63

-44.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$3.58 NOK 33.77

-39.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$5.12 NOK 48.21

-55.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$2.69 NOK 25.32

-26.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.89 NOK 27.24

-31.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$3.11 NOK 29.31

-60.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$2.43 NOK 22.85

-50.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$17.95 NOK 169

-74.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$16.80 NOK 158

-38.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$3.64 NOK 34.25

-55.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$4.47 NOK 42.14

-35.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$4.75 NOK 44.76

-87.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$73.8 NOK 695

-60.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$12.29 NOK 116

-56.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.86 NOK 17.52

100.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$72.7 NOK 684

-92.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$2.34 NOK 22.09

-34.19%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$51.8K NOK 487.7K

-56.45%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$41.3K NOK 389.2K

-36.93%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$266 NOK 2,508

-65.67%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$30.28 NOK 285

-16.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$57.9 NOK 546

-46.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$57.9 NOK 545

16.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$40.72 NOK 384

-28.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$20.21 NOK 190

-75.95%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$263 NOK 2,482

-15.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$12.8K NOK 120.7K

-66.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$107 NOK 1,008

-55.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$59.1 NOK 556

-25.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$142 NOK 1,339

-43.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$184 NOK 1,736

-49.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$1,207 NOK 11.4K

-11.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$1,115 NOK 10.5K

-65.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$2,308 NOK 21.7K

-6.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$1,463 NOK 13.8K

-13.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$5,381 NOK 50.7K

-25.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$4,623 NOK 43.6K

40.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

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 Stokmarknes: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,207 in Stokmarknes. 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 $114 in Stokmarknes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $498 – 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 Stokmarknes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stokmarknes is pricier by about 111%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,010 in Stokmarknes. 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 $2,673 in Stokmarknes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 156% 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 Stokmarknes at $2,673. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stokmarknes 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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stokmarknes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.