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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Skien vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,223 per month in Skien vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,098 per month in Skien vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Skien costs about 87% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Skien sits 76% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.93 NOK 279

$11.99 MX$210

141.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 NOK 960

$41.78 MX$731

138.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.15 NOK 127

$10.75 MX$188

22.33%

Cappuccino

$4.94 NOK 47.62

$3.50 MX$61.1

41.14%

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

$2.52 NOK 24.29

$1.45 MX$25.33

73.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NOK 21.47

$0.88 MX$15.47

153.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.22 NOK 88.8

$2.95 MX$51.6

212.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.88 NOK 95.1

$4.51 MX$78.9

119.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 NOK 18.66

$1.43 MX$25.04

35.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 NOK 32.87

$1.84 MX$32.13

85.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 NOK 32.08

$1.57 MX$27.42

112.10%

Eggs

$4.22 NOK 40.61

$2.51 MX$43.92

68.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 NOK 112

$8.28 MX$145

39.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 NOK 136

$8.43 MX$147

67.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.44 NOK 245

$10.68 MX$187

138.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 36.11

$2.61 MX$45.62

43.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NOK 21.73

$1.44 MX$25.15

56.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NOK 31.45

$1.96 MX$34.31

66.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 38.72

$2.09 MX$36.62

92.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 NOK 21.41

$1.85 MX$32.37

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 NOK 20.39

$2.17 MX$37.90

-2.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 NOK 28.87

$1.03 MX$18.04

191.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 18.24

$1.07 MX$18.78

76.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.24 NOK 185

$4.10 MX$71.7

369.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 NOK 147

$10.17 MX$178

50.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 NOK 31.72

$1.68 MX$29.29

95.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 NOK 37.16

$2.53 MX$44.17

52.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 NOK 25.73

$0.51 MX$8.90

423.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.34 NOK 417

$26.04 MX$455

66.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$35.68 NOK 344

$3.23 MX$56.5

1004.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.92

$2.41 MX$42.06

-39.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 966

$3.23 MX$56.5

3004.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.98

$1.32 MX$23.10

65.15%

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

$25.6K NOK 246.8K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-13.72%

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

$35.6K NOK 343.3K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

50.62%

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

$98.7 NOK 950

$82.0 MX$1,434

20.29%

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

$38.06 NOK 367

$22.95 MX$401

65.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.32 NOK 369

$30.11 MX$527

27.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.33 NOK 360

$52.0 MX$909

-28.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.73 NOK 344

$18.53 MX$324

92.82%

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 NOK 134

$4.98 MX$87.0

180.12%

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

$307 NOK 2,954

$197 MX$3,452

55.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K NOK 98.3K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

91.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.71 NOK 382

$35.60 MX$622

11.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 NOK 341

$40.33 MX$705

-12.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 NOK 868

$78.8 MX$1,377

14.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,463

$88.9 MX$1,555

70.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 NOK 9,355

$947 MX$16.6K

2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 NOK 9,397

$474 MX$8,288

105.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 NOK 10.8K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-31.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 NOK 8,807

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-24.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,335 NOK 32.1K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-17.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,041 NOK 29.3K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-52.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,036 NOK 38.9K

$654 MX$11.4K

517.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

11.42

-66.73%

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

Last update for Skien: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $971 in Skien versus $947 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.

Salaries run about 517% higher in Skien, 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 $100 in Skien versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Skien is pricier by about 87%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,520 per month in Skien and $1,884 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 $2,347 in Skien and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% 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 Skien at $2,347. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skien 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, Skien makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.