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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,745 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,170 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,595 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 106% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$22.21 NOK 211

-47.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$123 NOK 1,162

-65.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$14.44 NOK 137

-27.22%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.82 NOK 45.75

-25.52%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$3.67 NOK 34.84

-58.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.99 NOK 28.34

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$10.80 NOK 102

-72.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$11.45 NOK 109

-61.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.51 NOK 23.79

-44.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$3.65 NOK 34.58

-48.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.86 NOK 36.62

-59.59%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$4.59 NOK 43.49

-43.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.21 NOK 116

-31.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$14.92 NOK 141

-44.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$28.37 NOK 269

-61.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.77 NOK 35.76

-28.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.97 NOK 28.21

-49.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.64 NOK 25.00

-29.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$5.01 NOK 47.50

-56.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.97 NOK 28.20

-37.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.22 NOK 30.53

-30.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$3.20 NOK 30.33

-66.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$2.50 NOK 23.68

-56.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$15.41 NOK 146

-72.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$18.42 NOK 175

-43.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$3.66 NOK 34.68

-54.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$4.84 NOK 45.87

-46.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$4.57 NOK 43.37

-88.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$93.7 NOK 889

-72.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$15.40 NOK 146

-80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.26 NOK 21.40

6.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$89.5 NOK 848

-96.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.12 NOK 20.06

-38.21%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$32.4K NOK 306.8K

-7.89%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$43.1K NOK 409.0K

-45.93%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$323 NOK 3,059

-74.80%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$43.23 NOK 410

-47.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$76.7 NOK 727

-60.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$42.53 NOK 403

24.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$46.79 NOK 444

-60.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$17.26 NOK 164

-71.49%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$321 NOK 3,044

-37.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,375 NOK 79.4K

-38.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$110 NOK 1,044

-67.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$47.48 NOK 450

-15.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$128 NOK 1,214

-37.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$132 NOK 1,248

-34.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,371 NOK 13.0K

-28.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$1,079 NOK 10.2K

-56.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$2,269 NOK 21.5K

-27.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,685 NOK 16.0K

-28.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$6,109 NOK 57.9K

-35.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$4,952 NOK 47.0K

33.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$4,148 NOK 39.3K

-83.69%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,371 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 513% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $123 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $487 – 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,117 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $2,745 in Trondheim. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 258% 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 Trondheim at $2,745. 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.