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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Tromso costs about 146% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$35.31 NOK 328

$11.96 MX$203

195.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 NOK 1,007

$47.38 MX$804

129.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.16 NOK 150

$11.75 MX$199

37.53%

Cappuccino

$6.89 NOK 64.0

$4.12 MX$70.0

67.23%

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

$4.87 NOK 45.15

$1.40 MX$23.74

247.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NOK 34.69

$0.91 MX$15.48

310.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.76 NOK 118

$3.21 MX$54.4

297.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.21 NOK 132

$7.07 MX$120

100.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 NOK 23.11

$1.68 MX$28.44

48.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 NOK 32.44

$2.15 MX$36.48

62.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 NOK 38.40

$1.77 MX$30.10

133.90%

Eggs

$5.27 NOK 48.93

$2.82 MX$47.76

86.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 NOK 115

$9.20 MX$156

35.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 NOK 141

$9.23 MX$157

64.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.53 NOK 395

$12.64 MX$214

236.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 NOK 39.14

$2.95 MX$50.1

43.05%

Banana (1kg)

$3.07 NOK 28.50

$1.58 MX$26.79

94.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 NOK 49.61

$2.22 MX$37.70

140.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 NOK 59.4

$2.36 MX$40.09

171.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 NOK 32.82

$1.99 MX$33.81

77.89%

Onion (1kg)

$5.08 NOK 47.11

$1.98 MX$33.58

156.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 NOK 28.93

$1.24 MX$21.04

151.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 NOK 20.20

$1.21 MX$20.55

80.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.38 NOK 152

$4.60 MX$78.1

256.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.47 NOK 153

$10.52 MX$178

56.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.06 NOK 37.62

$1.69 MX$28.70

140.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 NOK 44.28

$2.77 MX$47.06

72.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.06 NOK 46.94

$0.60 MX$10.22

743.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.2 NOK 642

$29.70 MX$504

133.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$16.36 NOK 152

$5.24 MX$88.8

212.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 NOK 19.76

$3.65 MX$61.9

-41.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.6 NOK 534

$5.78 MX$98.1

896.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.02

$1.54 MX$26.09

47.40%

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

$49.6K NOK 460.4K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

117.65%

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

$45.6K NOK 422.8K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

76.57%

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

$266 NOK 2,471

$90.7 MX$1,538

193.81%

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

$51.3 NOK 476

$25.19 MX$427

103.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.2 NOK 799

$31.75 MX$539

171.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 NOK 481

$68.8 MX$1,167

-24.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.90 NOK 444

$29.37 MX$498

63.09%

Cinema Ticket

$17.98 NOK 167

$4.86 MX$82.5

269.96%

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

$329 NOK 3,048

$226 MX$3,828

45.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,733 NOK 71.7K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

84.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 NOK 632

$47.38 MX$804

43.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.40 NOK 328

$43.45 MX$737

-18.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 NOK 1,385

$80.2 MX$1,361

86.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 NOK 1,532

$91.4 MX$1,550

80.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,558 NOK 14.5K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 NOK 12.0K

$409 MX$6,933

217.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,781 NOK 25.8K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

41.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 NOK 18.9K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

59.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,137 NOK 66.2K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

76.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,526 NOK 51.3K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-17.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,292 NOK 39.8K

$773 MX$13.1K

455.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

11.45

-56.24%

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

Last update for Tromso: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,558 in Tromso versus $1,086 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 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 $109 in Tromso versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $554 vs $278 – 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

Tromso vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $4,811 per month in Tromso and $1,958 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 $3,207 in Tromso and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. 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.