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 $2,751 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,113 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,476 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ulsteinvik costs about 113% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ulsteinvik 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

$20.97 NOK 195

$11.71 MX$198

79.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 NOK 1,055

$46.59 MX$788

143.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.88 NOK 129

$11.65 MX$197

19.14%

Cappuccino

$4.96 NOK 46.05

$4.09 MX$69.2

21.27%

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

$4.33 NOK 40.22

$1.37 MX$23.23

216.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 NOK 28.06

$0.83 MX$14.09

263.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.05 NOK 103

$3.35 MX$56.7

229.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.92 NOK 111

$6.91 MX$117

72.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 NOK 23.07

$1.73 MX$29.20

43.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 NOK 34.67

$2.26 MX$38.21

65.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 NOK 35.64

$1.77 MX$29.91

116.95%

Eggs

$4.92 NOK 45.66

$2.73 MX$46.19

80.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 NOK 124

$9.18 MX$155

45.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.73 NOK 146

$8.92 MX$151

76.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.44 NOK 283

$12.60 MX$213

141.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.41

$3.02 MX$51.1

15.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 NOK 25.56

$1.57 MX$26.55

75.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 NOK 33.82

$2.13 MX$35.93

70.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 NOK 47.84

$2.26 MX$38.28

127.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 NOK 24.89

$2.00 MX$33.88

34.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 NOK 26.41

$2.06 MX$34.90

37.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 NOK 28.65

$1.18 MX$19.94

161.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 NOK 24.13

$1.20 MX$20.35

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.16 NOK 169

$4.63 MX$78.4

292.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.85 NOK 156

$10.69 MX$181

57.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NOK 32.71

$1.62 MX$27.38

117.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 NOK 45.01

$2.88 MX$48.70

68.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.24 NOK 39.41

$0.57 MX$9.69

643.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 NOK 790

$29.83 MX$504

185.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$13.47 NOK 125

$5.45 MX$92.1

147.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NOK 16.55

$3.70 MX$62.6

-51.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.3 NOK 671

$5.98 MX$101

1108.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.24

$1.55 MX$26.26

54.84%

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

$45.7K NOK 423.8K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

104.46%

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

$40.5K NOK 375.8K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

55.97%

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

$273 NOK 2,530

$89.1 MX$1,507

205.77%

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

$28.09 NOK 261

$25.04 MX$423

12.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 NOK 544

$31.50 MX$532

86.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 NOK 469

$67.8 MX$1,146

-25.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.37 NOK 365

$28.92 MX$489

36.13%

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 NOK 151

$5.05 MX$85.4

222.18%

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

$246 NOK 2,282

$225 MX$3,803

9.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NOK 119.0K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

203.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.7 NOK 870

$47.44 MX$802

97.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 NOK 506

$44.98 MX$760

21.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 NOK 1,178

$82.0 MX$1,386

54.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 NOK 1,376

$92.1 MX$1,557

60.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 NOK 12.3K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

24.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 NOK 10.5K

$405 MX$6,852

178.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 NOK 16.5K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-8.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,726 NOK 16.0K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

32.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,426 NOK 59.7K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

60.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,719 NOK 43.8K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-28.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

11.45

-56.68%

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

Last update for Ulsteinvik: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,329 in Ulsteinvik 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 $114 in Ulsteinvik versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 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

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

Yes – Ulsteinvik is pricier by about 113%, 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 $4,126 per month in Ulsteinvik 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 $2,751 in Ulsteinvik 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 185% 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 Ulsteinvik at $2,751. 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.