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 $2,040 per month in Steinkjer vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,013 per month in Steinkjer vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,985 per month in Steinkjer vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Steinkjer costs about 57% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Steinkjer sits 52% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.84 NOK 212

$11.73 MX$203

94.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 NOK 510

$41.62 MX$720

31.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.05 NOK 121

$10.64 MX$184

22.65%

Cappuccino

$4.64 NOK 43.10

$3.52 MX$60.9

31.82%

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

$3.64 NOK 33.80

$1.51 MX$26.12

141.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 NOK 26.70

$0.97 MX$16.84

195.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.01 NOK 93.0

$2.95 MX$51.0

239.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 NOK 56.9

$4.45 MX$77.0

37.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 NOK 18.24

$1.38 MX$23.93

42.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 NOK 33.73

$1.89 MX$32.72

92.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 NOK 28.52

$1.64 MX$28.32

87.20%

Eggs

$4.64 NOK 43.13

$2.51 MX$43.34

84.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 NOK 94.2

$8.34 MX$144

21.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.08 NOK 140

$8.34 MX$144

80.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.06 NOK 261

$10.73 MX$186

161.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 NOK 36.53

$2.60 MX$45.04

51.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NOK 20.88

$1.46 MX$25.20

54.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 NOK 23.92

$1.90 MX$32.87

35.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 NOK 47.16

$2.08 MX$35.91

144.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 NOK 18.90

$1.78 MX$30.71

14.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 NOK 19.18

$2.19 MX$37.80

-5.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 NOK 23.35

$1.04 MX$17.99

141.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 NOK 22.25

$1.08 MX$18.62

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.41 NOK 134

$4.08 MX$70.6

253.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.92 NOK 176

$10.32 MX$178

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 32.66

$1.71 MX$29.61

105.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 NOK 44.68

$2.58 MX$44.54

86.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 NOK 37.21

$0.51 MX$8.81

686.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 NOK 691

$26.46 MX$458

180.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.99 NOK 139

$3.26 MX$56.4

359.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 NOK 20.73

$2.49 MX$43.09

-10.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.5 NOK 831

$3.25 MX$56.2

2652.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 NOK 18.35

$1.31 MX$22.61

51.15%

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

$31.8K NOK 295.3K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

5.00%

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

$42.7K NOK 396.6K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

82.22%

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

$150 NOK 1,397

$82.9 MX$1,433

81.44%

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

$42.78 NOK 397

$22.22 MX$384

92.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 NOK 470

$29.34 MX$507

72.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.84 NOK 286

$51.6 MX$893

-40.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.02 NOK 335

$18.32 MX$317

96.62%

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 NOK 142

$5.07 MX$87.6

200.99%

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

$329 NOK 3,060

$201 MX$3,473

64.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,468 NOK 78.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

62.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 NOK 473

$36.92 MX$639

37.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.97 NOK 278

$39.79 MX$688

-24.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 NOK 567

$78.5 MX$1,357

-22.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 NOK 1,198

$87.1 MX$1,506

48.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 NOK 9,499

$973 MX$16.8K

5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 NOK 6,020

$468 MX$8,090

38.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 NOK 14.2K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-6.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 NOK 9,278

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-18.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,278 NOK 49.0K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

33.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,870 NOK 36.0K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-40.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.5

11.42

-86.87%

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

Last update for Steinkjer: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Steinkjer 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Steinkjer versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $460 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

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

Yes – Steinkjer is pricier by about 57%, 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 $3,060 per month in Steinkjer 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 $2,040 in Steinkjer 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 181% 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 Steinkjer at $2,040. 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.