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 $3,218 per month in Stavanger vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,688 per month in Stavanger vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,159 per month in Stavanger vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 142% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Stavanger sits 135% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.87 NOK 242

$13.02 MX$221

98.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.6 NOK 902

$46.25 MX$784

108.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.77 NOK 147

$12.59 MX$213

25.26%

Cappuccino

$6.34 NOK 59.2

$4.00 MX$67.9

58.50%

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

$5.42 NOK 50.6

$1.42 MX$24.08

281.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 NOK 41.76

$0.81 MX$13.73

451.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.85 NOK 129

$3.05 MX$51.7

354.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.25 NOK 114

$6.82 MX$116

79.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 22.03

$1.71 MX$29.04

38.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 NOK 33.96

$2.22 MX$37.62

63.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 NOK 36.60

$1.72 MX$29.13

127.91%

Eggs

$4.95 NOK 46.20

$2.71 MX$45.99

82.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.89 NOK 139

$9.37 MX$159

58.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.94 NOK 158

$8.86 MX$150

91.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.00 NOK 336

$12.78 MX$217

181.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 33.65

$3.13 MX$53.0

15.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 NOK 26.06

$1.55 MX$26.24

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.32

$2.15 MX$36.51

66.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 NOK 45.23

$2.35 MX$39.89

105.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 NOK 23.75

$2.02 MX$34.23

25.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 NOK 29.74

$1.99 MX$33.67

59.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 NOK 26.68

$1.24 MX$21.09

130.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 NOK 22.19

$1.19 MX$20.21

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.32 NOK 162

$4.65 MX$78.8

272.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.61 NOK 174

$10.47 MX$177

77.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 NOK 36.60

$1.58 MX$26.82

148.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 NOK 43.31

$2.92 MX$49.48

58.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.85 NOK 45.32

$0.56 MX$9.53

766.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.3 NOK 759

$29.76 MX$504

173.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 NOK 60.1

$5.32 MX$90.2

21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 NOK 16.08

$3.72 MX$63.0

-53.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$104 NOK 974

$5.78 MX$97.9

1704.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.23

$1.55 MX$26.27

46.45%

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

$49.3K NOK 460.3K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

120.35%

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

$42.5K NOK 397.3K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

66.37%

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

$254 NOK 2,375

$89.3 MX$1,513

184.86%

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

$35.83 NOK 335

$23.30 MX$395

53.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.3 NOK 778

$31.72 MX$538

162.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 NOK 486

$68.8 MX$1,165

-24.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.77 NOK 353

$29.40 MX$498

28.47%

Cinema Ticket

$22.24 NOK 208

$5.06 MX$85.7

339.53%

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

$326 NOK 3,043

$222 MX$3,765

46.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K NOK 133.5K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

232.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$126 NOK 1,181

$46.21 MX$783

173.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 NOK 557

$44.43 MX$753

34.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 NOK 1,457

$95.5 MX$1,618

63.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$207 NOK 1,936

$92.5 MX$1,568

124.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 NOK 16.2K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

62.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 NOK 12.9K

$393 MX$6,663

250.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,747 NOK 25.7K

$1,988 MX$33.7K

38.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 NOK 19.6K

$1,304 MX$22.1K

60.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,334 NOK 59.2K

$4,037 MX$68.4K

56.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,318 NOK 49.7K

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-19.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,107 NOK 47.7K

$747 MX$12.7K

583.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

11.6

-54.57%

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

Last update for Stavanger: August 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,732 in Stavanger 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 584% 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 $97.0 in Stavanger versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $526 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

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

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 142%, 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 $4,827 per month in Stavanger and $1,995 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 $3,218 in Stavanger and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 173% 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 $1,330, than in Stavanger at $3,218. 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.