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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,702 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,937 in Tonsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,172 in Tonsberg, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 52% cheaper than Tonsberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Tonsberg is 97% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$20.99 NOK 195

-44.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$107 NOK 997

-56.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$15.96 NOK 148

-27.01%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$5.55 NOK 51.6

-26.31%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$5.73 NOK 53.3

-76.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$5.43 NOK 50.5

-84.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$11.96 NOK 111

-71.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$10.77 NOK 100

-35.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$2.28 NOK 21.21

-24.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$3.58 NOK 33.33

-36.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$4.42 NOK 41.17

-59.95%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$4.87 NOK 45.36

-43.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$11.56 NOK 108

-20.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$15.09 NOK 140

-40.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$33.62 NOK 313

-62.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$3.03 NOK 28.19

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$2.35 NOK 21.87

-33.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$3.05 NOK 28.39

-30.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$5.70 NOK 53.0

-60.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$2.55 NOK 23.76

-21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$2.87 NOK 26.73

-28.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$3.02 NOK 28.14

-60.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$2.08 NOK 19.40

-42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$16.36 NOK 152

-71.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$19.07 NOK 177

-43.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$3.70 NOK 34.44

-56.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$4.10 NOK 38.15

-29.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$4.92 NOK 45.82

-88.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

$84.9 NOK 790

-64.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$10.44 NOK 97.1

-47.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$1.75 NOK 16.28

111.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$77.6 NOK 722

-92.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$2.63 NOK 24.45

-41.06%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$46.2K NOK 430.4K

-51.72%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$40.9K NOK 381.0K

-36.62%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$278 NOK 2,584

-67.90%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$32.56 NOK 303

-23.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$55.9 NOK 520

-43.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$48.71 NOK 453

39.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$42.76 NOK 398

-32.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$18.06 NOK 168

-72.04%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$233 NOK 2,170

-3.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$11.5K NOK 107.2K

-63.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$90.0 NOK 837

-47.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$62.5 NOK 582

-28.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$144 NOK 1,338

-42.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$144 NOK 1,341

-36.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$1,239 NOK 11.5K

-13.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$995 NOK 9,258

-59.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,511 NOK 14.1K

28.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,285 NOK 12.0K

1.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$6,490 NOK 60.4K

-38.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$4,779 NOK 44.5K

38.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$4,667 NOK 43.4K

-83.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.96

130.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tonsberg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,239 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 523% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $107 in Tonsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $492 – 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 109%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,053 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $2,702 in Tonsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 185% 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 $1,293, than in Tonsberg at $2,702. 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.