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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,421 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,717 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,013 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 48% cheaper than Ulsteinvik, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Ulsteinvik is 81% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$25.34 NOK 244

-52.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$101 NOK 977

-58.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$13.79 NOK 133

-22.04%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$4.85 NOK 46.80

-27.84%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$3.07 NOK 29.61

-52.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.79 NOK 26.94

-68.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$10.16 NOK 98.0

-70.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$9.61 NOK 92.7

-53.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.27 NOK 21.90

-37.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.40 NOK 32.76

-45.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.15 NOK 30.38

-50.16%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$4.44 NOK 42.78

-43.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$12.09 NOK 117

-31.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$14.71 NOK 142

-42.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$27.40 NOK 264

-61.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.52 NOK 33.97

-25.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.39 NOK 23.04

-39.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.36 NOK 32.39

-41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$4.52 NOK 43.56

-53.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.46 NOK 23.72

-24.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.48 NOK 23.93

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.80 NOK 26.98

-63.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.83 NOK 17.67

-41.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$15.45 NOK 149

-73.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$17.08 NOK 165

-40.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$3.41 NOK 32.93

-50.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.96 NOK 38.20

-36.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$4.33 NOK 41.75

-88.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$73.4 NOK 708

-64.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$10.10 NOK 97.4

-68.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.39 NOK 13.37

73.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$46.69 NOK 450

-93.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.15 NOK 20.71

-38.60%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$34.9K NOK 336.6K

-14.93%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$38.9K NOK 374.9K

-39.14%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$238 NOK 2,299

-65.60%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$37.91 NOK 366

-39.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$55.4 NOK 535

-45.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$49.12 NOK 474

5.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$36.10 NOK 348

-48.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$16.64 NOK 160

-70.07%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$279 NOK 2,691

-29.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$10.1K NOK 97.3K

-47.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$95.6 NOK 922

-62.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$52.7 NOK 508

-23.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$110 NOK 1,059

-28.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$152 NOK 1,463

-41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,206 NOK 11.6K

-21.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$911 NOK 8,781

-47.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,848 NOK 17.8K

-11.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,542 NOK 14.9K

-21.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$5,806 NOK 56.0K

-30.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$3,524 NOK 34.0K

83.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

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 13, 2026

Last update for Ulsteinvik: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,206 in Ulsteinvik. 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 $101 in Ulsteinvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 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 Ulsteinvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulsteinvik is pricier by about 93%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,631 in Ulsteinvik. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $2,421 in Ulsteinvik. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 182% 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 $1,256, than in Ulsteinvik at $2,421. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulsteinvik 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, Ulsteinvik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.