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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,430 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,741 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,052 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 47% cheaper than Ulsteinvik, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Ulsteinvik is 81% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$25.66 NOK 239

-54.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$103 NOK 959

-59.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$13.92 NOK 130

-23.56%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.02 NOK 46.74

-29.88%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$3.21 NOK 29.87

-52.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$2.92 NOK 27.22

-66.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$10.24 NOK 95.3

-71.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$9.64 NOK 89.7

-53.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.19 NOK 20.39

-36.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.33 NOK 31.01

-43.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.28 NOK 30.50

-50.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$4.33 NOK 40.29

-42.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.82 NOK 110

-29.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$14.52 NOK 135

-42.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$27.67 NOK 258

-61.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.45 NOK 32.08

-24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.37 NOK 22.02

-38.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.24 NOK 30.16

-41.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$4.56 NOK 42.47

-54.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.45 NOK 22.82

-27.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.50 NOK 23.26

-12.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.82 NOK 26.25

-63.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.83 NOK 17.02

-40.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$15.10 NOK 141

-72.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$18.31 NOK 170

-43.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$3.33 NOK 31.02

-48.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.99 NOK 37.10

-35.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$4.37 NOK 40.69

-88.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$74.2 NOK 690

-64.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$10.27 NOK 95.6

-68.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.41 NOK 13.09

76.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$46.03 NOK 429

-92.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$2.14 NOK 19.94

-38.79%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$35.7K NOK 332.6K

-15.24%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$38.6K NOK 359.2K

-39.28%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$241 NOK 2,242

-65.60%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$38.38 NOK 357

-42.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$55.1 NOK 513

-46.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$48.91 NOK 455

5.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.72 NOK 333

-48.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$16.69 NOK 155

-69.62%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$285 NOK 2,656

-29.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$10.0K NOK 93.1K

-47.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$94.3 NOK 878

-60.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$51.4 NOK 478

-22.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$110 NOK 1,020

-28.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$153 NOK 1,427

-43.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$1,220 NOK 11.4K

-20.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$897 NOK 8,349

-47.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,846 NOK 17.2K

-11.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,559 NOK 14.5K

-21.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$5,240 NOK 48.8K

-24.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$4,283 NOK 39.9K

51.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ulsteinvik: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,220 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 $103 in Ulsteinvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $451 – 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 87%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,645 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $2,430 in Ulsteinvik. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 180% 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 $1,297, than in Ulsteinvik at $2,430. 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.