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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,347 in Skien.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $3,223 in Skien.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $4,098 in Skien.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 38% less than in Skien, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Skien 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$28.93 NOK 279

-54.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$99.7 NOK 961

-46.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$13.15 NOK 127

-26.39%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$4.94 NOK 47.68

-24.29%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$2.52 NOK 24.31

-35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$2.23 NOK 21.50

-47.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$9.22 NOK 88.9

-64.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$9.88 NOK 95.2

-52.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.94 NOK 18.68

-14.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$3.41 NOK 32.91

-19.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$3.33 NOK 32.11

-43.84%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$4.22 NOK 40.65

-40.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.58 NOK 112

-11.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$14.14 NOK 136

-41.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$25.44 NOK 245

-53.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$3.75 NOK 36.15

-19.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$2.26 NOK 21.76

-19.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$3.27 NOK 31.49

-38.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$4.02 NOK 38.77

-50.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.22 NOK 21.44

-6.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.12 NOK 20.42

7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$3.00 NOK 28.90

-51.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.89 NOK 18.26

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$19.24 NOK 185

-77.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$15.31 NOK 148

10.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$3.29 NOK 31.75

-47.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$3.86 NOK 37.21

-7.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$2.67 NOK 25.76

-85.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$43.34 NOK 418

-56.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$35.68 NOK 344

-96.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.45 NOK 13.93

-80.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$100 NOK 967

-94.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$2.18 NOK 21.01

-38.53%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$25.6K NOK 247.1K

-24.24%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$35.6K NOK 343.7K

-33.13%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$98.7 NOK 951

-58.75%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$38.06 NOK 367

-29.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$38.32 NOK 370

-20.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$37.33 NOK 360

41.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$35.73 NOK 345

-25.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$13.95 NOK 135

-53.33%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$307 NOK 2,957

39.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$10.2K NOK 98.4K

2.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$39.71 NOK 383

44.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$35.38 NOK 341

28.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$90.2 NOK 869

15.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$152 NOK 1,464

-28.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$971 NOK 9,366

3.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$976 NOK 9,407

-36.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$1,122 NOK 10.8K

88.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$914 NOK 8,817

33.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$3,335 NOK 32.2K

16.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$3,041 NOK 29.3K

-33.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$4,036 NOK 38.9K

-74.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.8

198.42%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Skien: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $971 in Skien. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skien 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 $100 in Skien for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $431 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 Skien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Skien differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $2,347 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 Skien. 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $971 in Skien. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 132% less than in Skien. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $307 in Skien. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,347 in Skien, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Skien. 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 Skien 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 61% less than in Skien. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.