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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,531 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,800 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,068 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 50% cheaper than Sarpsborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Sarpsborg is 90% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$38.33 NOK 368

-69.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$92.9 NOK 891

-54.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$18.37 NOK 176

-42.79%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$5.45 NOK 52.3

-34.13%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$2.74 NOK 26.26

-44.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$2.50 NOK 23.96

-63.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$5.92 NOK 56.8

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$7.85 NOK 75.3

-43.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$2.25 NOK 21.60

-37.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$3.43 NOK 32.87

-45.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$3.30 NOK 31.69

-52.73%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$4.35 NOK 41.68

-40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$11.81 NOK 113

-29.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$14.83 NOK 142

-43.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$27.38 NOK 263

-60.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$3.53 NOK 33.89

-23.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.49 NOK 23.86

-39.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$3.31 NOK 31.78

-43.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$4.40 NOK 42.21

-50.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$2.45 NOK 23.51

-24.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$2.56 NOK 24.60

-12.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$2.76 NOK 26.52

-61.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$1.82 NOK 17.41

-40.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$15.07 NOK 145

-72.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$16.63 NOK 160

-37.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$3.28 NOK 31.48

-49.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$3.98 NOK 38.21

-34.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$2.51 NOK 24.12

-78.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$73.1 NOK 701

-64.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$10.02 NOK 96.1

-69.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.45 NOK 13.93

65.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$46.91 NOK 450

-93.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$2.08 NOK 19.92

-37.02%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$36.1K NOK 346.1K

-17.39%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$39.2K NOK 376.1K

-40.52%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$238 NOK 2,282

-65.83%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$38.73 NOK 372

-41.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$55.2 NOK 529

-45.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$49.40 NOK 474

7.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$34.87 NOK 334

-47.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$16.78 NOK 161

-70.68%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$288 NOK 2,761

-30.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$10.1K NOK 97.0K

-48.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$95.4 NOK 915

-62.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$52.7 NOK 506

-23.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$106 NOK 1,021

-25.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$151 NOK 1,449

-42.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$1,192 NOK 11.4K

-17.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$885 NOK 8,493

-46.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$1,532 NOK 14.7K

7.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$1,290 NOK 12.4K

-6.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$5,754 NOK 55.2K

-31.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$4,063 NOK 39.0K

62.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$2,612 NOK 25.1K

-74.10%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,192 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 286% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $93.0 in Sarpsborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $450 – 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 101%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,796 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $2,531 in Sarpsborg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 179% 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 $1,260, than in Sarpsborg at $2,531. 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.