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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,207 in Tromso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,683 in Tromso, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,158 in Tromso, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 59% cheaper than Tromso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Tromso is 133% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$35.31 NOK 328

-66.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$109 NOK 1,007

-56.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$16.16 NOK 150

-27.29%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$6.89 NOK 64.0

-40.20%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$4.87 NOK 45.15

-71.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$3.74 NOK 34.69

-75.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$12.76 NOK 118

-74.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$14.21 NOK 132

-50.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.49 NOK 23.11

-32.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.50 NOK 32.44

-38.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$4.14 NOK 38.40

-57.25%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$5.27 NOK 48.93

-46.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.44 NOK 115

-26.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$15.21 NOK 141

-39.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$42.53 NOK 395

-70.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.22 NOK 39.14

-30.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.07 NOK 28.50

-48.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$5.35 NOK 49.61

-58.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$6.40 NOK 59.4

-63.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.54 NOK 32.82

-43.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$5.08 NOK 47.11

-61.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$3.12 NOK 28.93

-60.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$2.18 NOK 20.20

-44.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$16.38 NOK 152

-71.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$16.47 NOK 153

-36.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$4.06 NOK 37.62

-58.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.77 NOK 44.28

-41.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$5.06 NOK 46.94

-88.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$69.2 NOK 642

-57.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$16.36 NOK 152

-67.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.13 NOK 19.76

71.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$57.6 NOK 534

-89.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$2.27 NOK 21.02

-32.16%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$49.6K NOK 460.4K

-54.05%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$45.6K NOK 422.8K

-43.36%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$266 NOK 2,471

-65.96%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$51.3 NOK 476

-50.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$86.2 NOK 799

-63.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$51.9 NOK 481

32.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$47.90 NOK 444

-38.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$17.98 NOK 167

-72.97%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$329 NOK 3,048

-31.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,733 NOK 71.7K

-45.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$68.1 NOK 632

-30.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$35.40 NOK 328

22.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$149 NOK 1,385

-46.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$165 NOK 1,532

-44.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,558 NOK 14.5K

-30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,296 NOK 12.0K

-68.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$2,781 NOK 25.8K

-29.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$2,039 NOK 18.9K

-37.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$7,137 NOK 66.2K

-43.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$5,526 NOK 51.3K

21.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$4,292 NOK 39.8K

-81.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.01

128.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tromso: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,558 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 455% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $109 in Tromso. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $554 – 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 146%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,811 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $3,207 in Tromso. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 133% 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 $1,305, than in Tromso at $3,207. 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.