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 $2,689 per month in Stavanger vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,070 per month in Stavanger vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,451 per month in Stavanger vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Stavanger sits 100% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.39 NOK 241

$11.87 MX$204

113.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,138

$42.90 MX$736

179.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 NOK 145

$10.65 MX$183

43.76%

Cappuccino

$5.03 NOK 47.77

$3.45 MX$59.2

45.80%

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

$3.88 NOK 36.83

$1.50 MX$25.81

158.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.89

$0.95 MX$16.28

265.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.98 NOK 104

$3.03 MX$51.9

262.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.21 NOK 96.9

$4.61 MX$79.1

121.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 NOK 21.93

$1.38 MX$23.61

67.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 NOK 29.59

$1.85 MX$31.70

68.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 NOK 43.48

$1.61 MX$27.65

184.47%

Eggs

$4.48 NOK 42.52

$2.59 MX$44.51

72.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 NOK 122

$8.26 MX$142

56.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.73 NOK 159

$8.37 MX$144

99.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.83 NOK 264

$10.66 MX$183

161.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 33.01

$2.63 MX$45.12

32.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 25.03

$1.49 MX$25.53

77.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 NOK 29.53

$1.92 MX$32.94

61.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 NOK 44.37

$2.09 MX$35.81

123.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 NOK 19.77

$1.86 MX$31.88

11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 29.27

$2.26 MX$38.81

36.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 NOK 23.47

$1.06 MX$18.23

133.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.38

$1.09 MX$18.67

67.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 NOK 142

$4.15 MX$71.2

260.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.46 NOK 175

$10.39 MX$178

77.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 NOK 34.89

$1.72 MX$29.59

113.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 NOK 38.90

$2.61 MX$44.85

57.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.47

$0.54 MX$9.30

748.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 NOK 651

$26.94 MX$462

154.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.31 NOK 145

$3.13 MX$53.7

389.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 NOK 19.57

$2.51 MX$43.09

-17.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$100 NOK 953

$3.15 MX$54.1

3086.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 20.01

$1.27 MX$21.88

66.14%

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

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

13.10%

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

$32.4K NOK 307.3K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

37.38%

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

$190 NOK 1,806

$83.0 MX$1,425

129.22%

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

$42.20 NOK 401

$22.71 MX$390

85.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.1 NOK 789

$29.46 MX$506

182.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 NOK 531

$51.0 MX$875

9.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.16 NOK 334

$18.33 MX$315

91.82%

Cinema Ticket

$19.57 NOK 186

$4.93 MX$84.5

296.96%

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

$321 NOK 3,048

$197 MX$3,386

62.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NOK 123.1K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

145.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,098

$36.90 MX$633

213.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 NOK 550

$39.89 MX$685

45.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,017

$80.0 MX$1,373

33.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NOK 1,519

$89.5 MX$1,536

78.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$956 MX$16.4K

66.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 NOK 10.7K

$477 MX$8,189

136.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,732 NOK 25.9K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

65.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 NOK 16.8K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

44.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,036 NOK 57.3K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

54.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,366 NOK 50.9K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-16.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,104 NOK 48.4K

$667 MX$11.4K

665.28%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,595 in Stavanger versus $956 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 665% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $473 vs $250 – 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 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 $4,033 per month in Stavanger and $1,906 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 $2,689 in Stavanger and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 155% 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 $1,271, than in Stavanger at $2,689. 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.