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 $2,421 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,717 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,013 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ulsteinvik costs about 93% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ulsteinvik sits 81% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.34 NOK 244

$11.99 MX$210

111.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 976

$41.78 MX$731

142.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.79 NOK 133

$10.75 MX$188

28.28%

Cappuccino

$4.85 NOK 46.75

$3.50 MX$61.1

38.57%

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

$3.07 NOK 29.58

$1.45 MX$25.33

111.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NOK 26.91

$0.88 MX$15.47

217.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.16 NOK 97.8

$2.95 MX$51.6

244.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.61 NOK 92.6

$4.51 MX$78.9

113.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.88

$1.43 MX$25.04

58.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 NOK 32.72

$1.84 MX$32.13

84.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 30.34

$1.57 MX$27.42

100.64%

Eggs

$4.44 NOK 42.73

$2.51 MX$43.92

76.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.09 NOK 116

$8.28 MX$145

46.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.71 NOK 142

$8.43 MX$147

74.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.40 NOK 264

$10.68 MX$187

156.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 NOK 33.93

$2.61 MX$45.62

34.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 NOK 23.01

$1.44 MX$25.15

65.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 NOK 32.36

$1.96 MX$34.31

71.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 NOK 43.51

$2.09 MX$36.62

116.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 NOK 23.70

$1.85 MX$32.37

32.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 NOK 23.91

$2.17 MX$37.90

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 NOK 26.95

$1.03 MX$18.04

171.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.65

$1.07 MX$18.78

71.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 NOK 149

$4.10 MX$71.7

276.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.08 NOK 165

$10.17 MX$178

67.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 32.89

$1.68 MX$29.29

102.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 NOK 38.16

$2.53 MX$44.17

56.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.33 NOK 41.70

$0.51 MX$8.90

749.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.4 NOK 707

$26.04 MX$455

182.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.10 NOK 97.3

$3.23 MX$56.5

212.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 NOK 13.35

$2.41 MX$42.06

-42.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.69 NOK 450

$3.23 MX$56.5

1345.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 NOK 20.68

$1.32 MX$23.10

62.88%

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

$34.9K NOK 336.2K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

17.55%

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

$38.9K NOK 374.5K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

64.32%

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

$238 NOK 2,296

$82.0 MX$1,434

190.71%

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

$37.91 NOK 365

$22.95 MX$401

65.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 NOK 534

$30.11 MX$527

84.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.12 NOK 473

$52.0 MX$909

-5.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.10 NOK 348

$18.53 MX$324

94.82%

Cinema Ticket

$16.64 NOK 160

$4.98 MX$87.0

234.14%

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

$279 NOK 2,688

$197 MX$3,452

41.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 97.2K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

89.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.6 NOK 921

$35.60 MX$622

168.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 NOK 508

$40.33 MX$705

30.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 NOK 1,057

$78.8 MX$1,377

39.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,461

$88.9 MX$1,555

70.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 NOK 11.6K

$947 MX$16.6K

27.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$911 NOK 8,771

$474 MX$8,288

92.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 NOK 17.8K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

12.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 NOK 14.9K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

27.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,806 NOK 55.9K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

43.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,524 NOK 33.9K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-45.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,206 in Ulsteinvik 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 $101 in Ulsteinvik versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $452 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 93%, 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 $3,631 per month in Ulsteinvik 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 $2,421 in Ulsteinvik 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 182% 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 Ulsteinvik at $2,421. 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.