Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stokmarknes and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,652 in Stokmarknes, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Stokmarknes
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,652
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Stokmarknes and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Stokmarknes and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,652 per month in Stokmarknes vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Stokmarknes $2,652
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $4,015 per month in Stokmarknes vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Stokmarknes $4,015
  • Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $5,378 per month in Stokmarknes vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Stokmarknes $5,378
  • Playa del Carmen $3,000

Stokmarknes costs about 120% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Stokmarknes sits 96% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stokmarknes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.63 NOK 194
$10.86 MX$201
89.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$103 NOK 968
$44.21 MX$817
132.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.80 NOK 149
$11.76 MX$217
34.35%
Cappuccino
$5.38 NOK 50.6
$3.68 MX$68.0
46.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 NOK 37.43
$1.34 MX$24.79
197.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 NOK 29.93
$0.82 MX$15.24
287.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.81 NOK 111
$3.06 MX$56.6
285.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.36 NOK 97.5
$4.94 MX$91.2
109.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stokmarknes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.47 NOK 23.27
$1.47 MX$27.17
68.03%
White Bread (500g)
$3.55 NOK 33.41
$2.22 MX$40.95
59.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.87 NOK 36.44
$1.48 MX$27.32
161.49%
Eggs
$4.76 NOK 44.83
$2.49 MX$45.99
91.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.04 NOK 123
$7.52 MX$139
73.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.20 NOK 143
$7.96 MX$147
90.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$31.03 NOK 292
$12.57 MX$232
146.86%
Apples (1kg)
$3.27 NOK 30.75
$2.78 MX$51.3
17.63%
Banana (1kg)
$2.58 NOK 24.26
$1.43 MX$26.37
80.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.51 NOK 33.04
$2.62 MX$48.37
33.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.77 NOK 44.90
$2.14 MX$39.49
122.90%
Potato (1kg)
$2.59 NOK 24.40
$2.02 MX$37.38
28.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.88 NOK 27.13
$1.99 MX$36.74
44.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.02 NOK 28.44
$1.14 MX$21.01
164.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 NOK 21.90
$1.20 MX$22.18
94.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.47 NOK 164
$4.26 MX$78.7
310.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.55 NOK 156
$10.02 MX$185
65.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.49 NOK 32.83
$1.54 MX$28.41
126.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.20 NOK 39.57
$2.66 MX$49.17
57.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Stokmarknes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.62 NOK 43.50
$0.53 MX$9.73
771.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.0 NOK 810
$27.51 MX$508
212.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$12.01 NOK 113
$4.90 MX$90.6
145.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.86 NOK 17.47
$3.43 MX$63.5
-45.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$69.1 NOK 650
$5.38 MX$99.4
1184.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.33 NOK 21.93
$1.45 MX$26.76
60.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.7K NOK 458.2K
$21.2K MX$391.0K
130.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.8K NOK 402.7K
$23.0K MX$425.3K
85.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stokmarknes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$271 NOK 2,554
$85.4 MX$1,577
217.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.47 NOK 315
$23.46 MX$434
42.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.3 NOK 511
$28.43 MX$525
91.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stokmarknes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.46 NOK 466
$62.2 MX$1,149
-20.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.68 NOK 345
$28.68 MX$530
27.89%
Cinema Ticket
$17.21 NOK 162
$5.10 MX$94.3
237.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stokmarknes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$234 NOK 2,204
$201 MX$3,715
16.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K NOK 121.9K
$3,947 MX$72.9K
228.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stokmarknes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.7 NOK 938
$44.39 MX$820
124.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.7 NOK 534
$41.35 MX$764
37.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$126 NOK 1,187
$72.7 MX$1,344
73.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$155 NOK 1,461
$89.6 MX$1,656
73.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stokmarknes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,206 NOK 11.4K
$979 MX$18.1K
23.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,016 NOK 9,563
$373 MX$6,887
172.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,973 NOK 18.6K
$1,681 MX$31.1K
17.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,690 NOK 15.9K
$1,095 MX$20.2K
54.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,221 NOK 58.6K
$3,949 MX$73.0K
57.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,109 NOK 38.7K
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-33.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stokmarknes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$738 MX$13.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.94
11.45
-56.86%

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

Last update for Stokmarknes: October 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Stokmarknes
$1K
Playa del Carmen
$373 63.3% $643
Groceries & Markets
Stokmarknes
$485
Playa del Carmen
$258 46.7% $227
Eating Out
Stokmarknes
$385
Playa del Carmen
$200 48.1% $185
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stokmarknes
$359
Playa del Carmen
$137 61.8% $222
Clothing & Footwear
Stokmarknes
$197
Playa del Carmen
$112 43.3% $85
Getting Around
Stokmarknes
$126
Playa del Carmen
$52 58.9% $74
Sport & Entertainment
Stokmarknes
$84
Playa del Carmen
$72 13.7% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,206 in Stokmarknes versus $979 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 $103 in Stokmarknes versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $485 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Stokmarknes
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
12:19 12:19 PM
05:19 5:19 AM
7 h behind Stokmarknes
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,300
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Stokmarknes Playa del Carmen 8,350 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Stokmarknes
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Stokmarknes vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Stokmarknes?
Yes – Stokmarknes is pricier by about 120%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,978 per month in Stokmarknes and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Stokmarknes and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,652 in Stokmarknes and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 120%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 213% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Stokmarknes or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Stokmarknes at $2,652. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stokmarknes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Stokmarknes or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stokmarknes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Stokmarknes vs other spots: cost of living compared

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