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 $2,011 per month in Steinkjer vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,053 per month in Steinkjer vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,095 per month in Steinkjer vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Steinkjer costs about 60% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Steinkjer sits 51% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.75 NOK 219

$11.99 MX$210

89.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.3 NOK 533

$41.78 MX$731

32.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.35 NOK 129

$10.75 MX$188

24.19%

Cappuccino

$4.44 NOK 42.73

$3.50 MX$61.1

26.86%

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

$3.68 NOK 35.47

$1.45 MX$25.33

153.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 NOK 28.38

$0.88 MX$15.47

235.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.31 NOK 99.3

$2.95 MX$51.6

249.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 NOK 59.2

$4.51 MX$78.9

36.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 NOK 19.21

$1.43 MX$25.04

39.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 NOK 35.20

$1.84 MX$32.13

98.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 NOK 29.16

$1.57 MX$27.42

92.99%

Eggs

$4.49 NOK 43.28

$2.51 MX$43.92

78.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 NOK 99.3

$8.28 MX$145

24.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.95 NOK 144

$8.43 MX$147

77.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.55 NOK 275

$10.68 MX$187

167.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 NOK 36.20

$2.61 MX$45.62

44.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NOK 21.78

$1.44 MX$25.15

56.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.31

$1.96 MX$34.31

34.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 NOK 48.97

$2.09 MX$36.62

143.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NOK 19.13

$1.85 MX$32.37

7.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 NOK 19.33

$2.17 MX$37.90

-7.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 NOK 25.09

$1.03 MX$18.04

152.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 NOK 23.15

$1.07 MX$18.78

124.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 NOK 135

$4.10 MX$71.7

241.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.06 NOK 174

$10.17 MX$178

77.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.59 NOK 34.60

$1.68 MX$29.29

113.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 NOK 44.33

$2.53 MX$44.17

81.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 NOK 37.84

$0.51 MX$8.90

670.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.7 NOK 719

$26.04 MX$455

186.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.06 NOK 145

$3.23 MX$56.5

366.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 NOK 21.17

$2.41 MX$42.06

-8.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.7 NOK 844

$3.23 MX$56.5

2614.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 NOK 19.66

$1.32 MX$23.10

54.55%

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

$31.4K NOK 302.9K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

5.88%

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

$42.5K NOK 409.7K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

79.75%

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

$150 NOK 1,445

$82.0 MX$1,434

82.93%

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

$42.93 NOK 413

$22.95 MX$401

87.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 NOK 487

$30.11 MX$527

67.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.69 NOK 296

$52.0 MX$909

-40.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.73 NOK 344

$18.53 MX$324

92.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 NOK 145

$4.98 MX$87.0

202.41%

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

$330 NOK 3,182

$197 MX$3,452

67.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,521 NOK 82.1K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

59.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 NOK 485

$35.60 MX$622

41.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.83 NOK 297

$40.33 MX$705

-23.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 NOK 580

$78.8 MX$1,377

-23.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 NOK 1,271

$88.9 MX$1,555

48.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 NOK 9,738

$947 MX$16.6K

6.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 NOK 6,330

$474 MX$8,288

38.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 NOK 14.7K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-6.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 NOK 9,880

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-15.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,066 NOK 58.4K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

49.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,692 NOK 35.6K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-42.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,011 in Steinkjer versus $947 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: $459 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 60%, 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 $3,017 per month in Steinkjer and $1,884 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 $2,011 in Steinkjer and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 187% 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 $1,256, than in Steinkjer at $2,011. 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.