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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,430 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,741 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,052 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ulsteinvik costs about 87% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ulsteinvik sits 81% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.66 NOK 238

$11.73 MX$203

118.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 NOK 957

$41.62 MX$720

147.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.92 NOK 129

$10.64 MX$184

30.83%

Cappuccino

$5.02 NOK 46.64

$3.52 MX$60.9

42.61%

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

$3.21 NOK 29.81

$1.51 MX$26.12

112.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 NOK 27.16

$0.97 MX$16.84

201.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.24 NOK 95.1

$2.95 MX$51.0

247.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.64 NOK 89.5

$4.45 MX$77.0

116.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 NOK 20.35

$1.38 MX$23.93

58.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 NOK 30.95

$1.89 MX$32.72

76.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 30.44

$1.64 MX$28.32

100.00%

Eggs

$4.33 NOK 40.21

$2.51 MX$43.34

72.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.82 NOK 110

$8.34 MX$144

41.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.52 NOK 135

$8.34 MX$144

74.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.67 NOK 257

$10.73 MX$186

157.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 32.01

$2.60 MX$45.04

32.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 NOK 21.98

$1.46 MX$25.20

62.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 NOK 30.10

$1.90 MX$32.87

70.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 NOK 42.38

$2.08 MX$35.91

119.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 NOK 22.78

$1.78 MX$30.71

37.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 23.21

$2.19 MX$37.80

14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 NOK 26.20

$1.04 MX$17.99

171.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 16.99

$1.08 MX$18.62

69.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.10 NOK 140

$4.08 MX$70.6

270.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.31 NOK 170

$10.32 MX$178

77.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 30.95

$1.71 MX$29.61

94.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NOK 37.02

$2.58 MX$44.54

54.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.37 NOK 40.61

$0.51 MX$8.81

756.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 NOK 689

$26.46 MX$458

180.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.27 NOK 95.4

$3.26 MX$56.4

215.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.06

$2.49 MX$43.09

-43.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.03 NOK 428

$3.25 MX$56.2

1316.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 19.90

$1.31 MX$22.61

63.36%

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

$35.7K NOK 331.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

17.98%

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

$38.6K NOK 358.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

64.68%

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

$241 NOK 2,238

$82.9 MX$1,433

190.66%

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

$38.38 NOK 357

$22.22 MX$384

72.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 NOK 512

$29.34 MX$507

87.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.91 NOK 454

$51.6 MX$893

-5.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.72 NOK 332

$18.32 MX$317

94.98%

Cinema Ticket

$16.69 NOK 155

$5.07 MX$87.6

229.19%

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

$285 NOK 2,650

$201 MX$3,473

42.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K NOK 92.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

91.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 NOK 876

$36.92 MX$639

155.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 NOK 477

$39.79 MX$688

29.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 NOK 1,018

$78.5 MX$1,357

39.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 NOK 1,424

$87.1 MX$1,506

76.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 NOK 11.3K

$973 MX$16.8K

25.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 NOK 8,332

$468 MX$8,090

91.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,846 NOK 17.1K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

12.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 NOK 14.5K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

27.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,240 NOK 48.7K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

32.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,283 NOK 39.8K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-34.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

11.42

-61.65%

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

Last update for Ulsteinvik: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,220 in Ulsteinvik 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 $103 in Ulsteinvik versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 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

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

Yes – Ulsteinvik is pricier by about 87%, 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 $3,645 per month in Ulsteinvik 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 $2,430 in Ulsteinvik 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 180% 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 Ulsteinvik at $2,430. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulsteinvik 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, Ulsteinvik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.