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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,498 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,682 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,866 in Tonsberg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 48% cheaper than Tonsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Tonsberg is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$25.57 NOK 242

-54.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$101 NOK 955

-58.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$13.53 NOK 128

-21.36%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

$4.83 NOK 45.65

-27.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$5.42 NOK 51.2

-72.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$4.97 NOK 46.94

-80.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$10.21 NOK 96.5

-71.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$9.46 NOK 89.5

-52.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$2.22 NOK 20.96

-37.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$3.30 NOK 31.24

-42.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$3.18 NOK 30.10

-48.43%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$4.27 NOK 40.36

-41.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$11.82 NOK 112

-29.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$14.84 NOK 140

-43.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$28.32 NOK 268

-62.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.48

$3.42 NOK 32.36

-23.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$2.39 NOK 22.58

-38.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$3.43 NOK 32.41

-44.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$4.52 NOK 42.77

-53.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$2.47 NOK 23.33

-27.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$2.57 NOK 24.30

-14.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$2.80 NOK 26.43

-62.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$1.83 NOK 17.32

-40.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$14.98 NOK 142

-72.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$17.98 NOK 170

-42.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$3.45 NOK 32.66

-50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.98

$4.08 NOK 38.56

-36.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$4.16 NOK 39.34

-87.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$72.2 NOK 683

-63.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$10.26 NOK 97.0

-68.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

$1.44 NOK 13.64

72.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$46.58 NOK 440

-93.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$2.09 NOK 19.79

-37.32%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$36.1K NOK 341.6K

-16.20%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$37.9K NOK 358.5K

-38.21%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$243 NOK 2,295

-65.86%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$39.09 NOK 370

-43.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$55.2 NOK 522

-46.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$49.50 NOK 468

4.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$36.01 NOK 340

-49.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$16.61 NOK 157

-69.48%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$283 NOK 2,678

-29.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$10.0K NOK 94.8K

-48.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$95.5 NOK 903

-61.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$51.4 NOK 486

-22.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$106 NOK 1,005

-26.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$151 NOK 1,430

-42.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$1,219 NOK 11.5K

-20.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,169

$954 NOK 9,015

-50.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$1,443 NOK 13.6K

13.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$1,222 NOK 11.6K

-0.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$5,966 NOK 56.4K

-33.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$4,341 NOK 41.0K

49.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$4,692 NOK 44.4K

-85.85%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,219 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 607% 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 $101 in Tonsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $455 – 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 93%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,747 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $2,498 in Tonsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 173% 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 $1,297, than in Tonsberg at $2,498. 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.