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 $2,282 per month in Skien vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,202 per month in Skien vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,122 per month in Skien vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Skien costs about 76% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Skien sits 70% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.96 NOK 269

$11.73 MX$203

146.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 935

$41.62 MX$720

141.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 NOK 123

$10.64 MX$184

24.62%

Cappuccino

$4.88 NOK 45.35

$3.52 MX$60.9

38.64%

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

$2.47 NOK 22.94

$1.51 MX$26.12

63.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 NOK 20.38

$0.97 MX$16.84

125.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 NOK 84.0

$2.95 MX$51.0

206.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.67 NOK 89.8

$4.45 MX$77.0

117.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 NOK 18.73

$1.38 MX$23.93

46.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 NOK 30.67

$1.89 MX$32.72

74.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.30

$1.64 MX$28.32

92.07%

Eggs

$4.20 NOK 39.01

$2.51 MX$43.34

67.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 NOK 106

$8.34 MX$144

36.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 NOK 132

$8.34 MX$144

70.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.44 NOK 236

$10.73 MX$186

137.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 NOK 34.89

$2.60 MX$45.04

44.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 NOK 21.55

$1.46 MX$25.20

58.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 30.63

$1.90 MX$32.87

73.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 NOK 37.36

$2.08 MX$35.91

93.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 NOK 21.26

$1.78 MX$30.71

28.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NOK 20.07

$2.19 MX$37.80

-1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NOK 27.36

$1.04 MX$17.99

182.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 NOK 17.55

$1.08 MX$18.62

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.86 NOK 175

$4.08 MX$70.6

362.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 NOK 147

$10.32 MX$178

53.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 30.97

$1.71 MX$29.61

94.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NOK 36.67

$2.58 MX$44.54

53.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 NOK 25.02

$0.51 MX$8.81

427.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.33 NOK 412

$26.46 MX$458

67.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$36.08 NOK 335

$3.26 MX$56.4

1006.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 NOK 13.57

$2.49 MX$43.09

-41.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$99.7 NOK 926

$3.25 MX$56.2

2966.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 NOK 19.41

$1.31 MX$22.61

59.54%

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

$25.7K NOK 238.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-15.06%

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

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

52.64%

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

$96.6 NOK 897

$82.9 MX$1,433

16.58%

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

$37.34 NOK 347

$22.22 MX$384

68.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.51 NOK 358

$29.34 MX$507

31.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.00 NOK 353

$51.6 MX$893

-26.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.76 NOK 323

$18.32 MX$317

89.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 NOK 134

$5.07 MX$87.6

183.83%

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

$312 NOK 2,900

$201 MX$3,473

55.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 93.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

93.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.85 NOK 380

$36.92 MX$639

10.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 NOK 327

$39.79 MX$688

-11.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 NOK 862

$78.5 MX$1,357

18.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 NOK 1,421

$87.1 MX$1,506

75.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 NOK 8,931

$973 MX$16.8K

-1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 NOK 9,291

$468 MX$8,090

113.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 NOK 10.2K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-32.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 NOK 8,381

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-26.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,561 NOK 33.1K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-9.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,271 NOK 30.4K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-49.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,269 NOK 39.7K

$664 MX$11.5K

543.02%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $961 in Skien versus $973 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 543% 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 $101 in Skien versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 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 76%, 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 $3,422 per month in Skien and $1,945 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 $2,282 in Skien and $1,297 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 $1,297, than in Skien at $2,282. 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.