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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,742 per month in Porsgrunn vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,904 per month in Porsgrunn vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,066 per month in Porsgrunn vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Porsgrunn costs about 112% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.25 NOK 197

$11.71 MX$198

81.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 NOK 1,000

$46.59 MX$788

131.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.19 NOK 150

$11.65 MX$197

38.97%

Cappuccino

$5.86 NOK 54.4

$4.09 MX$69.2

43.28%

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

$3.62 NOK 33.65

$1.37 MX$23.23

164.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 NOK 28.92

$0.83 MX$14.09

275.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.67 NOK 108

$3.35 MX$56.7

248.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.69 NOK 99.3

$6.91 MX$117

54.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 NOK 23.88

$1.73 MX$29.20

48.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 NOK 40.10

$2.26 MX$38.21

91.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.60 NOK 42.72

$1.77 MX$29.91

159.89%

Eggs

$5.92 NOK 55.0

$2.73 MX$46.19

116.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.91 NOK 138

$9.18 MX$155

62.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.40 NOK 143

$8.92 MX$151

72.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.64 NOK 275

$12.60 MX$213

135.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 NOK 31.89

$3.02 MX$51.1

13.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 NOK 24.81

$1.57 MX$26.55

70.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.18

$2.13 MX$35.93

67.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 NOK 54.1

$2.26 MX$38.28

157.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 NOK 25.37

$2.00 MX$33.88

36.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 NOK 27.07

$2.06 MX$34.90

41.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 NOK 28.99

$1.18 MX$19.94

164.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 NOK 23.50

$1.20 MX$20.35

110.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.32 NOK 179

$4.63 MX$78.4

317.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.94 NOK 157

$10.69 MX$181

58.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 32.39

$1.62 MX$27.38

115.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 NOK 39.37

$2.88 MX$48.70

47.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 NOK 25.45

$0.57 MX$9.69

380.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 NOK 466

$29.83 MX$504

68.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.44 NOK 115

$5.45 MX$92.1

128.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 NOK 17.59

$3.70 MX$62.6

-48.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.6 NOK 656

$5.98 MX$101

1081.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 NOK 21.16

$1.55 MX$26.26

47.10%

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

$49.9K NOK 463.2K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

123.44%

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

$46.3K NOK 429.8K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

78.40%

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

$421 NOK 3,912

$89.1 MX$1,507

372.68%

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

$33.19 NOK 308

$25.04 MX$423

32.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 NOK 534

$31.50 MX$532

82.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$19.48 NOK 181

$5.05 MX$85.4

285.74%

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

$250 NOK 2,318

$225 MX$3,803

10.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K NOK 148.6K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

279.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 NOK 938

$47.44 MX$802

112.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 NOK 578

$44.98 MX$760

38.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NOK 1,244

$82.0 MX$1,386

63.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,499

$92.1 MX$1,557

75.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 NOK 7,754

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-21.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 NOK 8,818

$405 MX$6,852

134.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 NOK 14.9K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-17.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 NOK 11.8K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-2.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

11.45

-66.81%

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

Last update for Porsgrunn: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $835 in Porsgrunn versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $108 in Porsgrunn versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $515 vs $277 – 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

Porsgrunn vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Porsgrunn is pricier by about 112%, 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 $4,113 per month in Porsgrunn and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $2,742 in Porsgrunn and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 68% 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 Porsgrunn at $2,742. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Porsgrunn 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, Porsgrunn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.