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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,794 in Trondheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,158 in Trondheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,521 in Trondheim, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Trondheim is 109% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$22.32 NOK 208

-46.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$121 NOK 1,127

-64.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$14.30 NOK 133

-25.94%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.67 NOK 43.55

-22.48%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$3.66 NOK 34.10

-59.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.89 NOK 26.90

-67.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$10.79 NOK 101

-71.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$11.44 NOK 107

-61.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.52 NOK 23.51

-43.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.60 NOK 33.53

-47.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.86 NOK 35.93

-57.77%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.55 NOK 42.37

-41.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.19 NOK 114

-32.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$15.17 NOK 141

-45.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$28.24 NOK 263

-60.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.88 NOK 36.13

-31.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$3.00 NOK 27.92

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.67 NOK 24.88

-25.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$5.03 NOK 46.86

-58.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.97 NOK 27.73

-39.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$3.34 NOK 31.09

-34.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$3.24 NOK 30.20

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$2.53 NOK 23.59

-58.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$15.40 NOK 143

-74.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$19.08 NOK 178

-46.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$3.66 NOK 34.10

-52.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$4.73 NOK 44.05

-47.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$4.69 NOK 43.68

-88.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$93.3 NOK 870

-71.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$15.00 NOK 140

-79.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.16 NOK 20.16

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$88.6 NOK 826

-96.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.13 NOK 19.86

-40.38%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.0K NOK 298.2K

-3.49%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$41.8K NOK 389.9K

-44.27%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$318 NOK 2,962

-74.19%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$41.68 NOK 388

-46.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$76.9 NOK 717

-61.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$42.83 NOK 399

21.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$47.79 NOK 445

-60.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$17.29 NOK 161

-71.26%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$329 NOK 3,069

-39.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,501 NOK 79.2K

-37.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$110 NOK 1,022

-66.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$47.69 NOK 444

-16.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$129 NOK 1,202

-38.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$132 NOK 1,228

-32.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,386 NOK 12.9K

-30.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,065 NOK 9,928

-56.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,218 NOK 20.7K

-28.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,676 NOK 15.6K

-27.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$6,199 NOK 57.8K

-36.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$4,921 NOK 45.9K

31.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$4,339 NOK 40.4K

-83.40%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,386 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 502% 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 $121 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 117%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,191 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $2,794 in Trondheim. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 246% 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 $1,287, than in Trondheim at $2,794. 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.