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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,542 per month in Tonsberg vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,649 per month in Tonsberg vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,756 per month in Tonsberg vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Tonsberg sits 90% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.74 NOK 239

$11.67 MX$202

120.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 NOK 940

$41.88 MX$726

141.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.93 NOK 130

$10.40 MX$180

33.94%

Cappuccino

$4.88 NOK 45.42

$3.61 MX$62.6

35.18%

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

$5.42 NOK 50.4

$1.47 MX$25.45

268.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 NOK 46.45

$0.91 MX$15.80

448.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.14 NOK 94.3

$3.03 MX$52.6

234.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.39 NOK 87.4

$4.47 MX$77.4

110.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 NOK 21.18

$1.38 MX$23.83

65.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 NOK 30.33

$1.84 MX$31.93

77.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 NOK 30.71

$1.61 MX$27.82

104.97%

Eggs

$4.27 NOK 39.74

$2.57 MX$44.52

66.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.26 NOK 114

$8.49 MX$147

44.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.50 NOK 135

$8.49 MX$147

70.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.42 NOK 264

$10.99 MX$190

158.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 NOK 33.55

$2.73 MX$47.25

32.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 NOK 22.83

$1.50 MX$25.92

63.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 30.46

$1.96 MX$33.93

67.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 NOK 41.20

$2.12 MX$36.70

108.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 NOK 22.21

$1.86 MX$32.30

28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 23.69

$2.17 MX$37.67

17.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 NOK 26.75

$1.07 MX$18.59

169.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 NOK 17.28

$1.05 MX$18.18

77.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.24 NOK 142

$4.19 MX$72.6

263.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.36 NOK 152

$10.28 MX$178

59.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 NOK 31.15

$1.67 MX$28.87

100.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 NOK 38.65

$2.49 MX$43.12

67.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.29 NOK 39.88

$0.54 MX$9.37

694.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 NOK 679

$26.27 MX$455

178.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.28 NOK 95.6

$3.10 MX$53.8

231.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 NOK 12.97

$2.46 MX$42.66

-43.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.03 NOK 437

$3.24 MX$56.1

1351.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 NOK 18.41

$1.26 MX$21.83

57.14%

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

$35.1K NOK 326.8K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

16.48%

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

$38.4K NOK 356.7K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

63.62%

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

$239 NOK 2,226

$84.0 MX$1,456

184.99%

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

$38.05 NOK 354

$22.21 MX$385

71.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 NOK 519

$29.65 MX$514

88.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.84 NOK 464

$52.6 MX$912

-5.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.95 NOK 334

$18.34 MX$318

96.02%

Cinema Ticket

$16.68 NOK 155

$4.95 MX$85.7

236.97%

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

$286 NOK 2,659

$198 MX$3,438

44.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,999 NOK 93.0K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

87.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.9 NOK 882

$35.95 MX$623

163.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 NOK 490

$40.06 MX$694

31.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 NOK 1,005

$78.8 MX$1,365

37.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,413

$86.5 MX$1,499

75.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 NOK 11.3K

$977 MX$16.9K

23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$924 NOK 8,595

$471 MX$8,158

96.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 NOK 13.3K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-10.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 NOK 11.4K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

0.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,488 NOK 51.0K

$4,032 MX$69.9K

36.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,639 NOK 43.1K

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-29.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,643 NOK 43.2K

$714 MX$12.4K

550.13%

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 Tonsberg: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,210 in Tonsberg versus $977 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 550% higher in Tonsberg, 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 $101 in Tonsberg versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $452 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

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

Yes – Tonsberg 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 $3,813 per month in Tonsberg and $1,891 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 $2,542 in Tonsberg and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 178% 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 $1,261, than in Tonsberg at $2,542. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tonsberg 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, Tonsberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.