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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,929 in Tromso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,342 in Tromso, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,756 in Tromso, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 56% cheaper than Tromso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Tromso is 119% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$32.45 NOK 301

-63.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$121 NOK 1,124

-65.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$15.08 NOK 140

-29.44%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$6.17 NOK 57.4

-42.95%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$4.58 NOK 42.52

-67.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$3.44 NOK 31.97

-71.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$11.21 NOK 104

-73.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$11.08 NOK 103

-59.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.42 NOK 22.45

-42.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.17 NOK 29.42

-40.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.28 NOK 30.46

-50.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.92 NOK 45.72

-48.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.34 NOK 105

-26.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$15.48 NOK 144

-46.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$37.09 NOK 345

-71.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.92 NOK 36.42

-33.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.88 NOK 26.78

-49.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.75 NOK 34.82

-49.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$5.12 NOK 47.54

-59.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.08 NOK 28.65

-42.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.63 NOK 33.72

-39.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.69 NOK 24.98

-61.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.70 NOK 15.80

-36.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$15.05 NOK 140

-72.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$19.06 NOK 177

-45.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$3.64 NOK 33.78

-53.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.54 NOK 42.14

-43.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$4.79 NOK 44.49

-89.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$59.6 NOK 553

-55.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$12.88 NOK 120

-74.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.13 NOK 10.46

120.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$52.1 NOK 484

-93.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.11 NOK 19.63

-37.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$32.6K NOK 302.8K

-7.09%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

-34.48%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$245 NOK 2,279

-66.22%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$48.71 NOK 453

-54.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$77.2 NOK 717

-61.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$47.87 NOK 445

7.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$39.54 NOK 367

-53.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$16.73 NOK 155

-69.70%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$336 NOK 3,118

-40.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,362 NOK 68.4K

-29.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$87.7 NOK 815

-57.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$33.00 NOK 307

20.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$131 NOK 1,215

-40.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$135 NOK 1,258

-35.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,348 NOK 12.5K

-27.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,268 NOK 11.8K

-63.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,614 NOK 24.3K

-37.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,853 NOK 17.2K

-34.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$9,264 NOK 86.1K

-57.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$5,545 NOK 51.5K

17.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,243 NOK 39.4K

-84.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.27

167.45%

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 Tromso: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,348 in Tromso. 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 539% higher in Tromso, 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 $121 in Tromso. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $502 – 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 Tromso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tromso is pricier by about 126%, 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 $4,393 in Tromso. 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 $2,929 in Tromso. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 125% 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 Tromso at $2,929. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tromso 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, Tromso makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.