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 $2,561 per month in Sarpsborg vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,771 per month in Sarpsborg vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,982 per month in Sarpsborg vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sarpsborg costs about 102% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sarpsborg sits 91% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.65 NOK 357

$11.87 MX$204

217.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 NOK 876

$42.90 MX$736

115.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.53 NOK 176

$10.65 MX$183

73.99%

Cappuccino

$5.28 NOK 50.1

$3.45 MX$59.2

53.04%

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

$2.68 NOK 25.40

$1.50 MX$25.81

78.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 NOK 24.70

$0.95 MX$16.28

173.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 NOK 55.9

$3.03 MX$51.9

94.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 NOK 73.9

$4.61 MX$79.1

68.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 NOK 21.41

$1.38 MX$23.61

63.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 NOK 31.18

$1.85 MX$31.70

77.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 NOK 29.85

$1.61 MX$27.65

95.03%

Eggs

$4.37 NOK 41.52

$2.59 MX$44.51

68.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 NOK 113

$8.26 MX$142

44.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.93 NOK 142

$8.37 MX$144

78.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.14 NOK 267

$10.66 MX$183

163.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.19

$2.63 MX$45.12

36.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 NOK 23.46

$1.49 MX$25.53

65.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NOK 31.54

$1.92 MX$32.94

72.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 NOK 41.26

$2.09 MX$35.81

108.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 NOK 23.58

$1.86 MX$31.88

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 NOK 23.67

$2.26 MX$38.81

10.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.37

$1.06 MX$18.23

162.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NOK 17.24

$1.09 MX$18.67

66.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.31 NOK 145

$4.15 MX$71.2

268.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.10 NOK 181

$10.39 MX$178

83.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.40 NOK 32.24

$1.72 MX$29.59

97.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NOK 37.88

$2.61 MX$44.85

52.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 NOK 23.40

$0.54 MX$9.30

357.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 NOK 703

$26.94 MX$462

174.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 NOK 96.3

$3.13 MX$53.7

224.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 13.30

$2.51 MX$43.09

-44.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.99 NOK 437

$3.15 MX$54.1

1360.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NOK 20.32

$1.27 MX$21.88

68.50%

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

$36.1K NOK 342.9K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

18.96%

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

$38.6K NOK 366.1K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

63.67%

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

$238 NOK 2,263

$83.0 MX$1,425

187.24%

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

$38.10 NOK 362

$22.71 MX$390

67.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 NOK 532

$29.46 MX$506

90.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 NOK 476

$51.0 MX$875

-1.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.13 NOK 343

$18.33 MX$315

97.11%

Cinema Ticket

$16.31 NOK 155

$4.93 MX$84.5

230.83%

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

$284 NOK 2,692

$197 MX$3,386

43.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 95.8K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

91.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.6 NOK 926

$36.90 MX$633

164.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 NOK 501

$39.89 MX$685

32.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 NOK 1,033

$80.0 MX$1,373

36.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 NOK 1,421

$89.5 MX$1,536

67.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 NOK 11.5K

$956 MX$16.4K

26.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 NOK 8,572

$477 MX$8,189

89.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 NOK 14.2K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-9.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 NOK 12.5K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

7.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,022 NOK 57.2K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

53.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,474 NOK 42.5K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-30.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,685 NOK 25.5K

$667 MX$11.4K

302.61%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,209 in Sarpsborg versus $956 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 303% 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 $92.0 in Sarpsborg versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 vs $250 – 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 102%, 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 $3,841 per month in Sarpsborg and $1,906 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 $2,561 in Sarpsborg and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 175% 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 $1,271, than in Sarpsborg at $2,561. 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.