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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,748 per month in Steinkjer vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,954 per month in Steinkjer vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,161 per month in Steinkjer vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Steinkjer sits 100% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.44 NOK 199

$11.71 MX$198

83.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 NOK 551

$46.59 MX$788

27.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 NOK 131

$11.65 MX$197

21.55%

Cappuccino

$4.96 NOK 46.07

$4.09 MX$69.2

21.27%

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

$5.74 NOK 53.3

$1.37 MX$23.23

318.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 NOK 39.25

$0.83 MX$14.09

409.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.62 NOK 98.6

$3.35 MX$56.7

217.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 NOK 60.8

$6.91 MX$117

-5.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.59 NOK 24.08

$1.73 MX$29.20

49.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 NOK 33.06

$2.26 MX$38.21

57.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 NOK 35.99

$1.77 MX$29.91

119.21%

Eggs

$4.85 NOK 45.01

$2.73 MX$46.19

77.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 NOK 125

$9.18 MX$155

47.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.65 NOK 155

$8.92 MX$151

86.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.88 NOK 277

$12.60 MX$213

137.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 NOK 37.56

$3.02 MX$51.1

34.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 NOK 27.11

$1.57 MX$26.55

85.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 NOK 36.58

$2.13 MX$35.93

84.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.69 NOK 52.8

$2.26 MX$38.28

151.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 27.36

$2.00 MX$33.88

47.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 NOK 28.35

$2.06 MX$34.90

48.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NOK 27.29

$1.18 MX$19.94

149.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 NOK 21.02

$1.20 MX$20.35

88.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.78 NOK 165

$4.63 MX$78.4

284.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 NOK 173

$10.69 MX$181

74.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.67 NOK 34.11

$1.62 MX$27.38

126.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 NOK 42.06

$2.88 MX$48.70

57.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.31 NOK 40.05

$0.57 MX$9.69

656.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.0 NOK 808

$29.83 MX$504

191.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.58 NOK 89.0

$5.45 MX$92.1

75.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 NOK 15.55

$3.70 MX$62.6

-54.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.8 NOK 574

$5.98 MX$101

933.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.34 NOK 21.72

$1.55 MX$26.26

50.97%

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

$46.0K NOK 426.8K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

105.89%

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

$45.9K NOK 426.2K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

76.88%

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

$276 NOK 2,564

$89.1 MX$1,507

209.79%

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

$36.55 NOK 339

$25.04 MX$423

45.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.1 NOK 772

$31.50 MX$532

163.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 NOK 498

$67.8 MX$1,146

-20.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.75 NOK 397

$28.92 MX$489

47.82%

Cinema Ticket

$16.01 NOK 149

$5.05 MX$85.4

217.03%

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

$303 NOK 2,814

$225 MX$3,803

34.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,430 NOK 41.1K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

4.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 NOK 1,017

$47.44 MX$802

130.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 NOK 473

$44.98 MX$760

13.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 NOK 1,132

$82.0 MX$1,386

48.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 NOK 1,503

$92.1 MX$1,557

75.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 NOK 11.6K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

16.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 NOK 10.5K

$405 MX$6,852

178.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 NOK 17.0K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-5.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 NOK 17.6K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

45.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,007 NOK 55.8K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

50.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,779 NOK 35.1K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-42.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

11.45

-53.54%

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

Last update for Steinkjer: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,247 in Steinkjer 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Steinkjer versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $510 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

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

Yes – Steinkjer 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 $4,122 per month in Steinkjer 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 $2,748 in Steinkjer 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 192% 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 Steinkjer at $2,748. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Steinkjer 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, Steinkjer makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.