Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sarpsborg Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sarpsborg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,496 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,763 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,030 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 49% cheaper than Sarpsborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Sarpsborg is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$38.11 NOK 354

-69.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$95.2 NOK 885

-56.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$18.27 NOK 170

-43.08%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$5.25 NOK 48.85

-31.24%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$2.74 NOK 25.44

-46.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$2.56 NOK 23.79

-64.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$6.24 NOK 58.1

-51.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$7.89 NOK 73.4

-43.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$2.22 NOK 20.61

-37.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$3.28 NOK 30.50

-43.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$3.32 NOK 30.86

-51.51%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$4.43 NOK 41.21

-41.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$12.12 NOK 113

-29.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$14.90 NOK 139

-43.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$28.08 NOK 261

-60.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$3.48 NOK 32.38

-21.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$2.48 NOK 23.07

-39.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$3.41 NOK 31.71

-42.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$4.38 NOK 40.76

-51.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$2.45 NOK 22.76

-24.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.54 NOK 23.62

-14.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$2.75 NOK 25.59

-61.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$1.92 NOK 17.86

-45.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$14.92 NOK 139

-71.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$19.21 NOK 179

-46.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$3.34 NOK 31.03

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$4.08 NOK 37.91

-38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$2.49 NOK 23.17

-78.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$74.4 NOK 691

-64.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$10.19 NOK 94.8

-69.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$1.39 NOK 12.92

76.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$47.55 NOK 442

-93.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$2.03 NOK 18.89

-37.93%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$35.1K NOK 326.0K

-13.94%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$38.2K NOK 354.9K

-38.57%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$240 NOK 2,232

-65.01%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$37.83 NOK 352

-41.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$56.0 NOK 521

-47.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$49.58 NOK 461

6.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$36.07 NOK 335

-49.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$16.71 NOK 155

-70.38%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$279 NOK 2,593

-28.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$10.1K NOK 93.6K

-47.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$96.6 NOK 898

-62.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$51.3 NOK 477

-21.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$108 NOK 1,003

-26.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$154 NOK 1,437

-44.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$1,222 NOK 11.4K

-20.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$904 NOK 8,404

-47.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

5.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$1,342 NOK 12.5K

-9.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$6,929 NOK 64.4K

-41.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$4,477 NOK 41.6K

46.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.38

160.73%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,222 in Sarpsborg. 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $95 in Sarpsborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $459 – 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

Playa del Carmen vs Sarpsborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarpsborg is pricier by about 98%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,744 in Sarpsborg. 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $2,496 in Sarpsborg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 183% 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 $1,261, than in Sarpsborg at $2,496. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarpsborg 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, Sarpsborg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.