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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,478 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,681 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,885 in Tonsberg, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Tonsberg is 85% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$25.36 NOK 243

-52.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$102 NOK 980

-58.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$13.89 NOK 133

-24.98%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$4.79 NOK 45.97

-26.72%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$5.15 NOK 49.42

-70.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.84

$4.94 NOK 47.35

-81.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$9.96 NOK 95.5

-69.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$9.66 NOK 92.6

-54.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$2.21 NOK 21.15

-35.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$3.39 NOK 32.51

-46.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$3.20 NOK 30.70

-49.06%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$4.33 NOK 41.49

-41.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$11.95 NOK 115

-28.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$14.90 NOK 143

-43.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$27.98 NOK 268

-61.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.94

$3.52 NOK 33.80

-21.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$2.41 NOK 23.09

-40.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.83

$3.25 NOK 31.20

-41.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$4.41 NOK 42.26

-50.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$2.45 NOK 23.46

-27.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$2.47 NOK 23.66

-10.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$2.74 NOK 26.24

-60.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$1.91 NOK 18.33

-43.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$14.95 NOK 143

-72.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$19.33 NOK 185

-45.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$3.41 NOK 32.66

-48.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.92

$4.13 NOK 39.62

-37.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$4.18 NOK 40.06

-87.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

$72.3 NOK 694

-64.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$10.16 NOK 97.5

-68.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$1.40 NOK 13.42

78.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$47.45 NOK 455

-93.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$2.10 NOK 20.14

-40.00%

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

$29.7K MX$516.6K

$34.8K NOK 334.2K

-14.81%

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

$23.7K MX$412.1K

$38.7K NOK 371.6K

-38.87%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$237 NOK 2,272

-65.38%

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

$22.73 MX$395

$37.87 NOK 363

-39.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$54.3 NOK 521

-45.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$49.98 NOK 479

4.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

$35.76 NOK 343

-48.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$16.26 NOK 156

-69.68%

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

$202 MX$3,511

$285 NOK 2,734

-29.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$10.0K NOK 96.1K

-47.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$96.0 NOK 921

-62.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$51.9 NOK 498

-22.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$110 NOK 1,052

-27.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$152 NOK 1,462

-41.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$1,226 NOK 11.8K

-22.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,097

$935 NOK 8,966

-50.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$1,438 NOK 13.8K

13.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$1,203 NOK 11.5K

-0.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.4K

$5,119 NOK 49.1K

-23.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$4,108 NOK 39.4K

56.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$4,407 NOK 42.3K

-85.06%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,226 in Tonsberg. 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 569% higher in Tonsberg, 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 $102 in Tonsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $458 – 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 Tonsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tonsberg is pricier by about 97%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,717 in Tonsberg. 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $2,478 in Tonsberg. 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 $1,259, than in Tonsberg at $2,478. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tonsberg 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, Tonsberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.