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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,481 in Stokmarknes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,824 in Stokmarknes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,167 in Stokmarknes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 49% cheaper than Stokmarknes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Stokmarknes is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$25.44 NOK 241

-53.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$99.4 NOK 943

-57.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$13.57 NOK 129

-22.55%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.78 NOK 45.37

-24.90%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$3.19 NOK 30.25

-52.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.92 NOK 27.66

-68.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$9.96 NOK 94.5

-70.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$9.65 NOK 91.5

-54.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.17 NOK 20.56

-35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$3.29 NOK 31.18

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.29 NOK 31.18

-52.58%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$4.42 NOK 41.89

-40.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.99 NOK 114

-30.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$14.58 NOK 138

-42.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$28.06 NOK 266

-61.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.47 NOK 32.88

-21.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.48 NOK 23.53

-39.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.35 NOK 31.77

-44.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.47 NOK 42.36

-51.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.41 NOK 22.81

-22.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.54 NOK 24.06

-12.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.73 NOK 25.92

-60.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.83 NOK 17.36

-40.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$15.45 NOK 147

-72.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$17.48 NOK 166

-40.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$3.43 NOK 32.56

-51.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$4.15 NOK 39.37

-37.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$4.27 NOK 40.44

-87.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$73.1 NOK 693

-64.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$9.96 NOK 94.4

-69.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.38 NOK 13.09

73.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$45.85 NOK 435

-93.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.18 NOK 20.66

-39.91%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$35.7K NOK 338.4K

-16.49%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$38.9K NOK 368.7K

-40.02%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$244 NOK 2,318

-66.75%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$38.89 NOK 369

-41.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$56.4 NOK 534

-46.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$48.46 NOK 460

9.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$35.25 NOK 334

-47.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$16.60 NOK 157

-70.36%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$289 NOK 2,742

-30.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$10.3K NOK 97.4K

-49.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$95.8 NOK 908

-62.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$51.8 NOK 491

-22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$107 NOK 1,019

-25.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$153 NOK 1,453

-43.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,221 NOK 11.6K

-19.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$907 NOK 8,598

-48.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,836 NOK 17.4K

-10.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,524 NOK 14.4K

-21.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$5,297 NOK 50.2K

-25.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$3,395 NOK 32.2K

94.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Stokmarknes: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,221 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: $252 vs $452 – 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 97%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,721 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $2,481 in Stokmarknes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 180% 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 Stokmarknes at $2,481. 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.