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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,802 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,162 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,521 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 55% cheaper than Sarpsborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Sarpsborg is 105% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$40.12 NOK 378

-71.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$107 NOK 1,010

-56.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$19.57 NOK 184

-39.29%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$5.76 NOK 54.2

-30.90%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.90 NOK 27.37

-50.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.65 NOK 25.01

-69.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$8.82 NOK 83.2

-63.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$11.73 NOK 111

-42.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.36 NOK 22.24

-28.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.30 NOK 31.09

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.76 NOK 35.40

-54.52%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$5.08 NOK 47.90

-46.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.87 NOK 121

-25.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$15.59 NOK 147

-42.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$29.86 NOK 281

-57.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.49 NOK 32.90

-17.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.78 NOK 26.16

-46.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.60 NOK 33.90

-40.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.52 NOK 42.58

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.60 NOK 24.51

-23.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.98 NOK 28.08

-33.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$3.11 NOK 29.30

-60.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.33 NOK 21.97

-48.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$19.68 NOK 185

-76.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$17.86 NOK 168

-41.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$3.61 NOK 34.03

-55.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.32 NOK 40.74

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.70 NOK 25.46

-77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$77.7 NOK 732

-62.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$10.98 NOK 104

-50.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.95 NOK 18.39

91.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$73.9 NOK 696

-92.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.18 NOK 20.53

-29.36%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$45.0K NOK 423.6K

-49.84%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$40.2K NOK 378.5K

-35.14%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$273 NOK 2,571

-66.50%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$30.00 NOK 283

-16.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$59.3 NOK 559

-47.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$51.4 NOK 484

30.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$32.10 NOK 302

-9.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$16.91 NOK 159

-71.26%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$253 NOK 2,384

-11.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$13.2K NOK 124.2K

-67.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$97.1 NOK 915

-51.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$52.2 NOK 492

-15.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$113 NOK 1,065

-29.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$182 NOK 1,711

-48.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,257 NOK 11.8K

-15.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,038 NOK 9,785

-62.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,609 NOK 15.2K

33.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,388 NOK 13.1K

-8.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$6,265 NOK 59.0K

-36.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$4,159 NOK 39.2K

56.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,721 NOK 25.6K

-72.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.18

121.04%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,257 in Sarpsborg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 259% higher in Sarpsborg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $107 in Sarpsborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $486 – 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 121%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,204 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $2,802 in Sarpsborg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 170% 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 $1,266, than in Sarpsborg at $2,802. 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.