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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,773 per month in Stavanger vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,172 per month in Stavanger vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,570 per month in Stavanger vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 114% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Stavanger sits 108% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.16 NOK 238

$11.73 MX$202

114.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,137

$41.78 MX$719

187.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 NOK 141

$10.41 MX$179

42.94%

Cappuccino

$5.21 NOK 49.33

$3.61 MX$62.1

44.32%

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

$3.91 NOK 37.04

$1.46 MX$25.06

167.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.75

$0.97 MX$16.70

245.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.96 NOK 104

$2.92 MX$50.3

275.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.32 NOK 97.8

$4.62 MX$79.5

123.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 NOK 22.21

$1.43 MX$24.59

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 NOK 29.78

$1.90 MX$32.70

65.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 NOK 42.15

$1.57 MX$26.95

183.44%

Eggs

$4.47 NOK 42.30

$2.64 MX$45.34

69.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.02 NOK 123

$8.44 MX$145

54.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.38 NOK 155

$8.58 MX$148

90.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.93 NOK 265

$11.00 MX$189

153.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 NOK 34.00

$2.70 MX$46.51

32.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 24.13

$1.51 MX$25.92

68.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 NOK 28.99

$1.91 MX$32.93

60.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 NOK 44.89

$2.17 MX$37.37

118.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NOK 20.36

$1.87 MX$32.25

14.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 NOK 27.57

$2.23 MX$38.43

30.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 NOK 23.96

$1.08 MX$18.60

134.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 NOK 16.51

$1.07 MX$18.47

62.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 NOK 142

$4.16 MX$71.6

260.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.43 NOK 175

$10.29 MX$177

79.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 34.32

$1.68 MX$28.95

115.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 NOK 39.23

$2.53 MX$43.59

63.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.45 NOK 42.11

$0.55 MX$9.53

709.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 NOK 645

$26.29 MX$452

158.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.31 NOK 145

$3.20 MX$55.0

378.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 NOK 20.21

$2.46 MX$42.37

-13.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 951

$3.20 MX$55.0

3035.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 NOK 21.07

$1.32 MX$22.72

68.18%

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

$34.2K NOK 324.3K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

13.56%

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

$33.3K NOK 315.6K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

42.42%

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

$191 NOK 1,812

$81.4 MX$1,400

135.14%

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

$42.07 NOK 398

$22.41 MX$386

87.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.5 NOK 772

$29.97 MX$516

171.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 NOK 530

$51.6 MX$887

8.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.10 NOK 332

$18.39 MX$316

90.86%

Cinema Ticket

$18.95 NOK 180

$5.16 MX$88.9

267.25%

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

$314 NOK 2,976

$202 MX$3,471

55.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 121.5K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

141.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 NOK 1,110

$35.61 MX$613

229.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 NOK 569

$40.37 MX$695

48.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NOK 994

$78.6 MX$1,353

33.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 NOK 1,480

$86.9 MX$1,495

79.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 NOK 15.1K

$950 MX$16.3K

67.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 NOK 10.9K

$478 MX$8,227

140.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,775 NOK 26.3K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

71.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 NOK 16.8K

$1,223 MX$21.0K

44.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,070 NOK 57.5K

$4,009 MX$69.0K

51.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 NOK 49.0K

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-20.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,897 NOK 46.4K

$673 MX$11.6K

627.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

11.42

-60.51%

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

Last update for Stavanger: June 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,591 in Stavanger versus $950 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 628% higher in Stavanger, 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 $120 in Stavanger versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $471 vs $254 – 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

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

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 114%, 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 $4,160 per month in Stavanger and $1,941 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 $2,773 in Stavanger and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 159% 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 $1,294, than in Stavanger at $2,773. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger 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, Stavanger makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.