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 $2,357 per month in Skien vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,341 per month in Skien vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,326 per month in Skien vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Skien costs about 82% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Skien sits 72% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.53 NOK 200

$11.71 MX$198

83.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 NOK 989

$46.59 MX$788

128.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.84 NOK 147

$11.65 MX$197

35.97%

Cappuccino

$5.47 NOK 50.8

$4.09 MX$69.2

33.74%

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

$4.23 NOK 39.25

$1.37 MX$23.23

208.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 NOK 29.70

$0.83 MX$14.09

285.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.01 NOK 112

$3.35 MX$56.7

258.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.63 NOK 117

$6.91 MX$117

82.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NOK 19.24

$1.73 MX$29.20

19.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 NOK 36.69

$2.26 MX$38.21

74.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 NOK 43.37

$1.77 MX$29.91

163.84%

Eggs

$5.80 NOK 53.8

$2.73 MX$46.19

112.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 NOK 126

$9.18 MX$155

47.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 NOK 144

$8.92 MX$151

74.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.90 NOK 213

$12.60 MX$213

81.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 NOK 31.61

$3.02 MX$51.1

12.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 NOK 25.60

$1.57 MX$26.55

75.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 NOK 32.11

$2.13 MX$35.93

62.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 NOK 56.2

$2.26 MX$38.28

167.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 NOK 22.06

$2.00 MX$33.88

19.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 27.75

$2.06 MX$34.90

45.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 NOK 28.42

$1.18 MX$19.94

159.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NOK 22.78

$1.20 MX$20.35

104.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.12 NOK 177

$4.63 MX$78.4

312.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 NOK 151

$10.69 MX$181

52.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 32.67

$1.62 MX$27.38

117.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NOK 41.20

$2.88 MX$48.70

54.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 NOK 32.20

$0.57 MX$9.69

508.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.24 NOK 448

$29.83 MX$504

61.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 NOK 103

$5.45 MX$92.1

104.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 NOK 17.75

$3.70 MX$62.6

-48.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.6 NOK 674

$5.98 MX$101

1114.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 20.89

$1.55 MX$26.26

45.16%

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

$48.5K NOK 450.7K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

117.43%

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

$43.9K NOK 407.8K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

69.28%

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

$97.8 NOK 908

$89.1 MX$1,507

9.73%

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

$33.45 NOK 311

$25.04 MX$423

33.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 NOK 543

$31.50 MX$532

85.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 NOK 381

$67.8 MX$1,146

-39.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 NOK 142

$5.05 MX$85.4

202.97%

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

$244 NOK 2,266

$225 MX$3,803

8.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K NOK 148.8K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

279.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 NOK 585

$47.44 MX$802

32.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 NOK 565

$44.98 MX$760

35.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 NOK 842

$82.0 MX$1,386

10.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 NOK 1,495

$92.1 MX$1,557

74.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 NOK 10.0K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 NOK 9,168

$405 MX$6,852

143.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 NOK 9,751

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-45.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 NOK 9,017

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-25.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,603 NOK 33.5K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-9.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,179 NOK 29.5K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-52.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,293 NOK 39.9K

$749 MX$12.7K

473.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

11.45

-61.83%

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

Last update for Skien: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,080 in Skien 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.

Salaries run about 473% 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 $106 in Skien versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $481 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

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

Yes – Skien is pricier by about 82%, 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 $3,536 per month in Skien 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 $2,357 in Skien 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 62% 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 Skien at $2,357. 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.