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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,463 in Stokmarknes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,822 in Stokmarknes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,180 in Stokmarknes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 47% cheaper than Stokmarknes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Stokmarknes is 85% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$25.14 NOK 245

-53.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$99.2 NOK 966

-57.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$13.49 NOK 131

-22.83%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$4.99 NOK 48.56

-27.66%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$3.23 NOK 31.45

-54.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.86 NOK 27.84

-66.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$10.21 NOK 99.4

-71.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$9.74 NOK 94.8

-52.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$2.20 NOK 21.42

-35.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$3.44 NOK 33.50

-44.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$3.32 NOK 32.38

-52.71%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$4.49 NOK 43.76

-41.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$12.08 NOK 118

-30.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$14.80 NOK 144

-42.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$27.88 NOK 272

-60.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$3.48 NOK 33.92

-22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$2.48 NOK 24.13

-39.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$3.40 NOK 33.14

-43.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$4.47 NOK 43.58

-51.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$2.39 NOK 23.26

-21.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$2.58 NOK 25.15

-13.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$2.83 NOK 27.55

-61.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.89 NOK 18.39

-43.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$15.02 NOK 146

-72.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$18.13 NOK 177

-43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$3.38 NOK 32.89

-50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$4.03 NOK 39.30

-37.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$4.18 NOK 40.74

-86.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

$74.2 NOK 723

-64.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$10.20 NOK 99.3

-68.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$1.44 NOK 14.02

70.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$47.69 NOK 465

-93.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$2.10 NOK 20.46

-37.14%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$35.8K NOK 348.5K

-15.73%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$39.2K NOK 381.8K

-40.31%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$245 NOK 2,391

-66.86%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$38.11 NOK 371

-41.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$55.0 NOK 536

-45.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$49.11 NOK 478

4.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$34.82 NOK 339

-47.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$16.85 NOK 164

-69.38%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$289 NOK 2,818

-30.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$10.2K NOK 98.9K

-47.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$94.4 NOK 919

-62.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$52.6 NOK 513

-23.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$108 NOK 1,048

-26.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$151 NOK 1,471

-42.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$1,220 NOK 11.9K

-22.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$898 NOK 8,743

-46.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$1,846 NOK 18.0K

-12.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$1,516 NOK 14.8K

-19.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$5,886 NOK 57.3K

-31.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$4,362 NOK 42.5K

48.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.38

160.73%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Stokmarknes: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,220 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $99.0 in Stokmarknes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $457 – 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 90%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,695 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $2,463 in Stokmarknes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 182% 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 $1,294, than in Stokmarknes at $2,463. 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.