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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,531 per month in Sarpsborg vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,800 per month in Sarpsborg vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,068 per month in Sarpsborg vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sarpsborg costs about 101% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sarpsborg sits 90% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$38.33 NOK 368

$11.72 MX$204

227.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.9 NOK 891

$41.89 MX$731

121.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.37 NOK 176

$10.51 MX$183

74.79%

Cappuccino

$5.45 NOK 52.3

$3.59 MX$62.5

51.81%

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

$2.74 NOK 26.26

$1.51 MX$26.31

81.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 NOK 23.96

$0.92 MX$15.96

171.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 NOK 56.8

$2.96 MX$51.6

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 NOK 75.3

$4.41 MX$76.9

78.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.60

$1.40 MX$24.35

60.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 NOK 32.87

$1.88 MX$32.87

82.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 31.69

$1.56 MX$27.19

111.54%

Eggs

$4.35 NOK 41.68

$2.61 MX$45.50

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 NOK 113

$8.32 MX$145

41.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.83 NOK 142

$8.35 MX$146

77.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.38 NOK 263

$10.86 MX$189

152.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.89

$2.71 MX$47.31

30.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.86

$1.51 MX$26.25

64.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 NOK 31.78

$1.87 MX$32.67

77.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 NOK 42.21

$2.19 MX$38.19

100.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 NOK 23.51

$1.86 MX$32.40

31.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 NOK 24.60

$2.23 MX$38.90

14.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 NOK 26.52

$1.07 MX$18.63

157.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NOK 17.41

$1.09 MX$18.94

66.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.07 NOK 145

$4.19 MX$73.0

259.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 NOK 160

$10.43 MX$182

59.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 NOK 31.48

$1.66 MX$28.91

97.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 NOK 38.21

$2.61 MX$45.56

52.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 NOK 24.12

$0.54 MX$9.45

364.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 NOK 701

$26.16 MX$456

179.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 NOK 96.1

$3.08 MX$53.7

225.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.93

$2.40 MX$41.94

-39.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.91 NOK 450

$3.13 MX$54.5

1398.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 NOK 19.92

$1.31 MX$22.87

58.78%

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

$36.1K NOK 346.1K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

21.05%

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

$39.2K NOK 376.1K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

68.13%

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

$238 NOK 2,282

$81.3 MX$1,418

192.69%

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

$38.73 NOK 372

$22.56 MX$393

71.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 NOK 529

$30.05 MX$524

83.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.40 NOK 474

$52.9 MX$923

-6.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.87 NOK 334

$18.39 MX$321

89.61%

Cinema Ticket

$16.78 NOK 161

$4.92 MX$85.8

241.06%

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

$288 NOK 2,761

$201 MX$3,502

43.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 97.0K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

95.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.4 NOK 915

$35.92 MX$627

165.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 NOK 506

$40.13 MX$700

31.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NOK 1,021

$79.7 MX$1,390

33.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 NOK 1,449

$86.5 MX$1,508

74.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 NOK 11.4K

$978 MX$17.1K

21.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 NOK 8,493

$470 MX$8,206

88.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 NOK 14.7K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-7.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 NOK 12.4K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

7.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,754 NOK 55.2K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

45.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,063 NOK 39.0K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-38.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,612 NOK 25.1K

$677 MX$11.8K

286.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

11.42

-61.65%

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

Last update for Sarpsborg: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,192 in Sarpsborg versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. 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 286% higher in Sarpsborg, 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 $93.0 in Sarpsborg versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $450 vs $252 – 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

Sarpsborg vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarpsborg is pricier by about 101%, 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 $3,796 per month in Sarpsborg and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $2,531 in Sarpsborg and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 179% 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 $1,260, than in Sarpsborg at $2,531. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarpsborg 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, Sarpsborg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.