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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $2,800 in Arendal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $3,949 in Arendal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $5,098 in Arendal.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 40% less than in Arendal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Arendal 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$20.59 NOK 191

-41.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$67.6 NOK 627

-20.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$16.19 NOK 150

-31.50%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$5.73 NOK 53.2

-28.45%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$3.67 NOK 34.05

-54.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$3.30 NOK 30.57

-57.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$12.09 NOK 112

-72.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$12.42 NOK 115

-52.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$2.47 NOK 22.95

-25.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$3.76 NOK 34.86

-15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$3.96 NOK 36.71

-47.73%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$5.01 NOK 46.51

-41.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$15.04 NOK 140

-16.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$14.99 NOK 139

-32.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$35.11 NOK 326

-54.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$3.66 NOK 33.93

-7.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$2.83 NOK 26.24

-26.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$3.54 NOK 32.82

-40.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$4.90 NOK 45.46

-50.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.58 NOK 23.91

-17.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$3.22 NOK 29.84

-37.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$2.83 NOK 26.21

-45.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$2.42 NOK 22.45

-43.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$18.04 NOK 167

-68.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$15.03 NOK 139

18.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$3.71 NOK 34.42

-44.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$4.51 NOK 41.84

2.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$3.84 NOK 35.59

-90.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$91.4 NOK 848

-76.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$6.40 NOK 59.3

-67.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.73 NOK 16.09

-66.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$105 NOK 978

-94.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$2.37 NOK 21.97

-34.60%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$50.5K NOK 468.6K

-54.71%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$42.0K NOK 389.5K

-35.13%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$257 NOK 2,389

-73.82%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$36.25 NOK 336

-15.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$81.7 NOK 758

-54.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$38.34 NOK 356

60.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$16.01 NOK 149

-55.59%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$324 NOK 3,003

40.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$14.6K NOK 135.4K

-6.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$129 NOK 1,195

-42.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$45.21 NOK 419

26.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$128 NOK 1,184

-9.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$205 NOK 1,904

-40.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$1,171 NOK 10.9K

-2.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$1,090 NOK 10.1K

-34.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$1,635 NOK 15.2K

57.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$1,495 NOK 13.9K

-13.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$4,205 NOK 39.0K

-74.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.68

141.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Arendal: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $1,171 in Arendal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arendal pays 289% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $68.0 in Arendal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $510 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

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

Mexico City and Arendal differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $2,800 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 289% lower in Arendal. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $1,171 in Arendal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $324 in Arendal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Arendal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $2,800 in Arendal, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Arendal. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Arendal 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 67% less than in Arendal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.