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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,776 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,121 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,465 in Trondheim, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Trondheim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Trondheim is 107% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$22.39 NOK 213

-46.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$119 NOK 1,131

-64.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$14.04 NOK 133

-24.15%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.72 NOK 44.83

-26.91%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.62 NOK 34.35

-58.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.94 NOK 27.88

-67.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$10.68 NOK 101

-71.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$11.73 NOK 111

-60.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.64 NOK 25.03

-47.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.52 NOK 33.36

-47.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.96 NOK 37.59

-59.34%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$4.56 NOK 43.28

-43.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.35 NOK 117

-33.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$15.21 NOK 144

-44.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$28.37 NOK 269

-62.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.78 NOK 35.84

-30.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.83 NOK 26.84

-47.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.64 NOK 25.01

-27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$5.31 NOK 50.4

-60.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.87 NOK 27.27

-35.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$3.18 NOK 30.19

-28.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$3.24 NOK 30.73

-67.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$2.52 NOK 23.97

-56.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$15.32 NOK 145

-72.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$18.36 NOK 174

-43.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$3.72 NOK 35.28

-53.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$4.83 NOK 45.88

-45.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$4.75 NOK 45.11

-88.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$93.7 NOK 889

-71.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$14.89 NOK 141

-78.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.19 NOK 20.78

14.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$87.8 NOK 833

-96.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.22 NOK 21.08

-42.79%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$32.2K NOK 306.0K

-5.80%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$42.5K NOK 403.0K

-44.50%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$328 NOK 3,118

-74.73%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$43.15 NOK 410

-47.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$75.0 NOK 712

-60.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$42.27 NOK 401

20.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$46.32 NOK 440

-60.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$17.14 NOK 163

-71.24%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$322 NOK 3,059

-38.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,553 NOK 81.2K

-38.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$113 NOK 1,076

-67.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$47.89 NOK 455

-16.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$126 NOK 1,195

-36.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$134 NOK 1,269

-33.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$1,396 NOK 13.2K

-31.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$1,055 NOK 10.0K

-54.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$2,233 NOK 21.2K

-26.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,689 NOK 16.0K

-27.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$6,157 NOK 58.4K

-36.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$4,848 NOK 46.0K

33.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$4,264 NOK 40.5K

-84.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.32

164.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,396 in Trondheim. 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 539% higher in Trondheim, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $119 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $490 – 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 Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Trondheim is pricier by about 118%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,164 in Trondheim. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $2,776 in Trondheim. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 248% 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 $1,271, than in Trondheim at $2,776. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trondheim 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, Trondheim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.