Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarpsborg and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarpsborg and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,531 in Sarpsborg versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,800 in Sarpsborg versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,068 in Sarpsborg versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Sarpsborg is roughly 72% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sarpsborg 90% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sarpsborg
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$38.33 NOK 368
$13.14 MX$229
191.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.9 NOK 891
$53.5 MX$934
73.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.37 NOK 176
$9.33 MX$163
96.89%
Cappuccino
$5.45 NOK 52.3
$3.70 MX$64.5
47.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 NOK 26.26
$1.60 MX$27.98
71.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 NOK 23.96
$1.12 MX$19.49
123.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.92 NOK 56.8
$3.14 MX$54.7
88.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.85 NOK 75.3
$4.85 MX$84.5
61.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sarpsborg
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.25 NOK 21.60
$1.65 MX$28.84
36.36%
White Bread (500g)
$3.43 NOK 32.87
$2.71 MX$47.34
26.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.30 NOK 31.69
$1.91 MX$33.29
72.77%
Eggs
$4.35 NOK 41.68
$2.59 MX$45.17
67.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.81 NOK 113
$9.81 MX$171
20.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.83 NOK 142
$8.43 MX$147
75.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.38 NOK 263
$11.93 MX$208
129.51%
Apples (1kg)
$3.53 NOK 33.89
$2.95 MX$51.5
19.66%
Banana (1kg)
$2.49 NOK 23.86
$1.74 MX$30.35
43.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.31 NOK 31.78
$2.04 MX$35.66
62.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.40 NOK 42.21
$2.06 MX$35.93
113.59%
Potato (1kg)
$2.45 NOK 23.51
$2.15 MX$37.49
13.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.56 NOK 24.60
$2.26 MX$39.33
13.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.76 NOK 26.52
$1.39 MX$24.17
98.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 NOK 17.41
$1.12 MX$19.47
62.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.07 NOK 145
$4.22 MX$73.6
257.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.63 NOK 160
$17.51 MX$305
-5.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.28 NOK 31.48
$1.71 MX$29.82
91.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 NOK 38.21
$3.63 MX$63.4
9.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Sarpsborg
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.51 NOK 24.12
$0.35 MX$6.15
617.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.1 NOK 701
$19.32 MX$337
278.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.02 NOK 96.1
$1.38 MX$24.00
626.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.45 NOK 13.93
$0.28 MX$4.81
417.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$46.91 NOK 450
$5.28 MX$92.0
788.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 NOK 19.92
$1.36 MX$23.69
52.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1K NOK 346.1K
$19.1K MX$333.2K
88.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K NOK 376.1K
$23.6K MX$411.7K
66.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sarpsborg
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$238 NOK 2,282
$40.53 MX$707
486.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.73 NOK 372
$27.38 MX$478
41.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.2 NOK 529
$30.38 MX$530
81.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sarpsborg
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.40 NOK 474
$52.2 MX$911
-5.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.87 NOK 334
$26.48 MX$462
31.68%
Cinema Ticket
$16.78 NOK 161
$6.19 MX$108
171.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sarpsborg
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$288 NOK 2,761
$425 MX$7,414
-32.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K NOK 97.0K
$10.7K MX$187.2K
-5.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sarpsborg
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.4 NOK 915
$58.3 MX$1,017
63.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.7 NOK 506
$44.57 MX$777
18.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 NOK 1,021
$103 MX$1,805
2.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$151 NOK 1,449
$109 MX$1,897
38.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sarpsborg
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,192 NOK 11.4K
$1,014 MX$17.7K
17.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$885 NOK 8,493
$623 MX$10.9K
42.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,532 NOK 14.7K
$2,119 MX$37.0K
-27.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,290 NOK 12.4K
$1,223 MX$21.3K
5.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,754 NOK 55.2K
$3,792 MX$66.1K
51.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,063 NOK 39.0K
$2,110 MX$36.8K
92.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sarpsborg
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,612 NOK 25.1K
$1,052 MX$18.4K
148.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.38
11.34
-61.38%

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

Last update for Sarpsborg: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,192 in Sarpsborg and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarpsborg pays 148% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $93.0 in Sarpsborg vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 vs $293 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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
Sarpsborg vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sarpsborg and in Mexico City?
Sarpsborg and Mexico City differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($2,531 vs $1,472 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sarpsborg or Mexico City?
Average pay runs 148% higher in Sarpsborg, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Sarpsborg and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,192 in Sarpsborg versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Sarpsborg and in Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 278% less than in Sarpsborg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sarpsborg and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $288 in Sarpsborg versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,531 in Sarpsborg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Sarpsborg. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sarpsborg and Mexico City?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Sarpsborg or Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sarpsborg and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Sarpsborg or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Sarpsborg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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