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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,751 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,113 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,476 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 53% cheaper than Ulsteinvik, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Ulsteinvik is 100% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$20.97 NOK 195

-44.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$114 NOK 1,055

-59.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$13.88 NOK 129

-16.07%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$4.96 NOK 46.05

-17.54%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$4.33 NOK 40.22

-68.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$3.02 NOK 28.06

-72.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$11.05 NOK 103

-69.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$11.92 NOK 111

-42.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.49 NOK 23.07

-30.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$3.73 NOK 34.67

-39.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$3.84 NOK 35.64

-53.91%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$4.92 NOK 45.66

-44.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$13.33 NOK 124

-31.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$15.73 NOK 146

-43.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$30.44 NOK 283

-58.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.49 NOK 32.41

-13.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.75 NOK 25.56

-42.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$3.64 NOK 33.82

-41.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$5.15 NOK 47.84

-56.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$2.68 NOK 24.89

-25.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$2.84 NOK 26.41

-27.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$3.09 NOK 28.65

-61.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$2.60 NOK 24.13

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$18.16 NOK 169

-74.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$16.85 NOK 156

-36.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$3.52 NOK 32.71

-53.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$4.85 NOK 45.01

-40.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$4.24 NOK 39.41

-86.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$85.1 NOK 790

-64.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$13.47 NOK 125

-59.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.78 NOK 16.55

107.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$72.3 NOK 671

-91.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$2.40 NOK 22.24

-35.42%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$45.7K NOK 423.8K

-51.09%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$40.5K NOK 375.8K

-35.89%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$273 NOK 2,530

-67.30%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$28.09 NOK 261

-10.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$58.6 NOK 544

-46.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$50.5 NOK 469

34.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$39.37 NOK 365

-26.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$16.27 NOK 151

-68.96%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$246 NOK 2,282

-8.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$12.8K NOK 119.0K

-67.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$93.7 NOK 870

-49.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$54.5 NOK 506

-17.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$127 NOK 1,178

-35.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$148 NOK 1,376

-37.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,329 NOK 12.3K

-19.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$1,127 NOK 10.5K

-64.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,777 NOK 16.5K

8.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,726 NOK 16.0K

-24.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$6,426 NOK 59.7K

-37.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$4,719 NOK 43.8K

40.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.96

130.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ulsteinvik: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,329 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $114 in Ulsteinvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $500 – 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 113%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,126 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $2,751 in Ulsteinvik. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 185% 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 $1,293, than in Ulsteinvik at $2,751. 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.