Cost of Living Comparison Between Harstad and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Harstad and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,485 in Harstad versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,699 in Harstad versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,912 in Harstad versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Harstad is roughly 70% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harstad 85% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 NOK 125

$13.30 MX$231

1.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,145

$53.8 MX$932

128.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.11 NOK 140

$9.42 MX$163

60.40%

Cappuccino

$5.99 NOK 55.7

$3.59 MX$62.3

66.85%

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

$3.44 NOK 31.99

$1.62 MX$28.13

112.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 NOK 28.55

$1.12 MX$19.49

174.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.11 NOK 103

$3.25 MX$56.3

241.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.20 NOK 104

$4.65 MX$80.6

140.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 NOK 21.67

$1.64 MX$28.37

42.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 NOK 29.38

$2.65 MX$46.00

19.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 NOK 28.84

$1.96 MX$33.99

58.16%

Eggs

$4.28 NOK 39.79

$2.54 MX$44.08

68.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 NOK 98.2

$9.97 MX$173

5.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.15 NOK 141

$8.39 MX$145

80.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.04 NOK 354

$11.83 MX$205

221.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 NOK 36.12

$2.86 MX$49.62

35.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 NOK 25.80

$1.73 MX$30.05

60.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 NOK 32.72

$1.99 MX$34.50

76.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 NOK 43.16

$2.05 MX$35.51

126.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NOK 18.54

$2.06 MX$35.64

-3.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NOK 19.10

$2.28 MX$39.54

-10.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 NOK 24.91

$1.45 MX$25.05

84.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 NOK 16.40

$1.09 MX$18.83

61.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.25 NOK 142

$4.27 MX$73.9

257.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.36 NOK 152

$14.67 MX$254

11.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.62 NOK 33.66

$1.76 MX$30.58

105.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 NOK 42.14

$3.57 MX$61.8

26.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.03 NOK 56.1

$0.38 MX$6.67

1486.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.3 NOK 737

$18.73 MX$325

323.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.82 NOK 119

$1.39 MX$24.09

822.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 NOK 13.41

$0.30 MX$5.26

380.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.5 NOK 470

$5.41 MX$93.8

834.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 NOK 19.78

$1.34 MX$23.22

58.96%

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

$33.5K NOK 311.9K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

77.90%

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

$30.4K NOK 282.3K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

30.84%

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

$159 NOK 1,480

$40.30 MX$698

294.96%

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

$33.50 NOK 312

$27.15 MX$471

23.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 NOK 714

$29.46 MX$510

160.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 NOK 451

$52.7 MX$914

-8.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.46 NOK 330

$26.17 MX$454

35.50%

Cinema Ticket

$16.65 NOK 155

$6.18 MX$107

169.42%

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

$336 NOK 3,125

$441 MX$7,637

-23.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,048 NOK 47.0K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

-52.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 NOK 718

$57.2 MX$992

34.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 NOK 304

$45.04 MX$781

-27.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 NOK 1,089

$103 MX$1,793

13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 NOK 1,260

$109 MX$1,884

24.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 NOK 12.4K

$1,000 MX$17.3K

33.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 NOK 9,498

$632 MX$11.0K

61.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 NOK 20.5K

$2,141 MX$37.1K

2.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 NOK 13.4K

$1,253 MX$21.7K

15.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,987 NOK 55.7K

$3,745 MX$64.9K

59.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,636 NOK 43.1K

$2,381 MX$41.3K

94.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,563 NOK 33.1K

$1,079 MX$18.7K

230.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

11.34

-62.35%

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

Last update for Harstad: April 19, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,331 in Harstad and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harstad pays 230% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $123 in Harstad vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $481 vs $286 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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

Harstad vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Harstad pays 230% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,331 in Harstad versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Harstad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $123 in Harstad. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $2,485 in Harstad, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Harstad. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Harstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Harstad and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Harstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.