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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,009 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,335 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,661 in Trondheim, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 58% cheaper than Trondheim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Trondheim is 120% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$20.98 NOK 198

-44.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$110 NOK 1,036

-57.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$15.84 NOK 149

-25.00%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$5.62 NOK 52.9

-29.18%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$5.77 NOK 54.4

-75.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$4.37 NOK 41.15

-81.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$13.62 NOK 128

-76.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$13.21 NOK 124

-48.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.59 NOK 24.38

-35.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.55 NOK 33.49

-38.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.90 NOK 36.79

-56.15%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.88 NOK 46.01

-43.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.49 NOK 127

-28.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$16.46 NOK 155

-45.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$32.40 NOK 305

-60.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.89 NOK 36.66

-25.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.94 NOK 27.67

-48.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$4.00 NOK 37.69

-46.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$5.77 NOK 54.3

-60.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.89 NOK 27.23

-31.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.14 NOK 29.57

-36.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.87 NOK 27.07

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.25 NOK 21.23

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$18.01 NOK 170

-74.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$19.22 NOK 181

-46.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$3.54 NOK 33.33

-54.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.69 NOK 44.19

-38.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$4.88 NOK 46.00

-87.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$102 NOK 963

-71.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$9.49 NOK 89.4

-43.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.61 NOK 15.15

131.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$61.3 NOK 577

-90.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.38 NOK 22.41

-35.29%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$47.1K NOK 444.0K

-52.14%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$46.4K NOK 437.1K

-43.83%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$282 NOK 2,655

-67.57%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$36.46 NOK 344

-30.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$83.6 NOK 787

-62.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$44.16 NOK 416

52.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$41.28 NOK 389

-29.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$21.08 NOK 199

-76.94%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$304 NOK 2,861

-26.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,455 NOK 42.0K

-5.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$110 NOK 1,040

-57.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$52.7 NOK 496

-15.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$124 NOK 1,172

-35.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$158 NOK 1,485

-41.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,496 NOK 14.1K

-28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,236 NOK 11.6K

-68.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,253 NOK 21.2K

-4.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,690 NOK 15.9K

-24.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$6,555 NOK 61.8K

-38.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$5,105 NOK 48.1K

27.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$4,338 NOK 40.9K

-82.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.32

115.23%

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 Trondheim: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,496 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 472% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $110 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $517 – 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 138%, 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 $4,513 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $3,009 in Trondheim. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 255% 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 Trondheim at $3,009. 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.