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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $3,387 in Oslo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $4,974 in Oslo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $6,560 in Oslo.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 51% less than in Oslo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Oslo 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$21.27 NOK 197

-42.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$128 NOK 1,185

-57.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$16.44 NOK 153

-32.54%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$5.90 NOK 54.7

-30.51%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$4.24 NOK 39.33

-60.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$3.57 NOK 33.09

-61.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$12.07 NOK 112

-72.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$12.80 NOK 119

-54.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$2.58 NOK 23.90

-28.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$4.34 NOK 40.29

-26.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$4.62 NOK 42.88

-55.19%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$6.15 NOK 57.1

-52.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$14.72 NOK 137

-14.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$15.54 NOK 144

-34.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$30.93 NOK 287

-47.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$3.35 NOK 31.04

1.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$2.79 NOK 25.89

-25.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$3.47 NOK 32.23

-38.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$5.99 NOK 55.5

-59.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.69 NOK 24.95

-20.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.88 NOK 26.76

-30.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$3.26 NOK 30.22

-52.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$2.56 NOK 23.76

-46.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$19.43 NOK 180

-70.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$17.04 NOK 158

4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$3.60 NOK 33.38

-42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$4.32 NOK 40.08

6.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$4.98 NOK 46.20

-92.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$86.3 NOK 800

-75.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$12.52 NOK 116

-83.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.92 NOK 17.80

-69.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$70.6 NOK 655

-91.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$2.26 NOK 20.96

-31.42%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$48.7K NOK 451.7K

-53.02%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$45.3K NOK 420.1K

-39.87%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$424 NOK 3,932

-84.10%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$32.72 NOK 304

-6.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$57.1 NOK 530

-34.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$60.3 NOK 559

2.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$29.67 NOK 275

-8.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$19.71 NOK 183

-63.93%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$252 NOK 2,336

81.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$16.2K NOK 150.6K

-15.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$104 NOK 963

-28.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$62.7 NOK 582

-9.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$134 NOK 1,247

-14.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$162 NOK 1,502

-24.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$2,043 NOK 19.0K

-43.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$1,543 NOK 14.3K

-54.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$3,027 NOK 28.1K

-14.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$2,304 NOK 21.4K

-43.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$12.2K NOK 113.6K

-67.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$7,156 NOK 66.4K

-70.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$4,594 NOK 42.6K

-76.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.96

127.82%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Oslo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $2,043 in Oslo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oslo pays 325% 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 $128 in Oslo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $523 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 Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Oslo differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $3,387 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 325% lower in Oslo. 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 $2,043 in Oslo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 307% less than in Oslo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $252 in Oslo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $3,387 in Oslo, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Oslo. 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 Oslo 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 102% less than in Oslo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.