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 $2,929 per month in Tromso vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,342 per month in Tromso vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,756 per month in Tromso vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tromso costs about 126% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tromso sits 119% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.45 NOK 301

$11.73 MX$203

176.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,124

$41.62 MX$720

190.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.08 NOK 140

$10.64 MX$184

41.73%

Cappuccino

$6.17 NOK 57.4

$3.52 MX$60.9

75.28%

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

$4.58 NOK 42.52

$1.51 MX$26.12

203.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 NOK 31.97

$0.97 MX$16.84

254.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.21 NOK 104

$2.95 MX$51.0

280.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.08 NOK 103

$4.45 MX$77.0

148.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 NOK 22.45

$1.38 MX$23.93

75.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 NOK 29.42

$1.89 MX$32.72

67.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 NOK 30.46

$1.64 MX$28.32

100.00%

Eggs

$4.92 NOK 45.72

$2.51 MX$43.34

96.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 NOK 105

$8.34 MX$144

35.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.48 NOK 144

$8.34 MX$144

85.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.09 NOK 345

$10.73 MX$186

245.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 NOK 36.42

$2.60 MX$45.04

50.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 26.78

$1.46 MX$25.20

97.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 NOK 34.82

$1.90 MX$32.87

97.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 NOK 47.54

$2.08 MX$35.91

146.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 NOK 28.65

$1.78 MX$30.71

73.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 33.72

$2.19 MX$37.80

65.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 NOK 24.98

$1.04 MX$17.99

158.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 NOK 15.80

$1.08 MX$18.62

57.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.05 NOK 140

$4.08 MX$70.6

268.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.06 NOK 177

$10.32 MX$178

84.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.64 NOK 33.78

$1.71 MX$29.61

112.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 NOK 42.14

$2.58 MX$44.54

75.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.79 NOK 44.49

$0.51 MX$8.81

839.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 NOK 553

$26.46 MX$458

125.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.88 NOK 120

$3.26 MX$56.4

295.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 NOK 10.46

$2.49 MX$43.09

-54.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.1 NOK 484

$3.25 MX$56.2

1502.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 NOK 19.63

$1.31 MX$22.61

61.07%

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

$32.6K NOK 302.8K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

7.63%

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

$35.8K NOK 332.2K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

52.63%

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

$245 NOK 2,279

$82.9 MX$1,433

196.04%

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

$48.71 NOK 453

$22.22 MX$384

119.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.2 NOK 717

$29.34 MX$507

163.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.87 NOK 445

$51.6 MX$893

-7.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.54 NOK 367

$18.32 MX$317

115.83%

Cinema Ticket

$16.73 NOK 155

$5.07 MX$87.6

229.98%

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

$336 NOK 3,118

$201 MX$3,473

67.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,362 NOK 68.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

41.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 NOK 815

$36.92 MX$639

137.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.00 NOK 307

$39.79 MX$688

-17.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 NOK 1,215

$78.5 MX$1,357

66.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 NOK 1,258

$87.1 MX$1,506

55.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 NOK 12.5K

$973 MX$16.8K

38.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 NOK 11.8K

$468 MX$8,090

171.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,614 NOK 24.3K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

59.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 NOK 17.2K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

51.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,264 NOK 86.1K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

134.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,545 NOK 51.5K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-14.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,243 NOK 39.4K

$664 MX$11.5K

539.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

11.42

-62.61%

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

Last update for Tromso: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,348 in Tromso versus $973 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 539% 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 $121 in Tromso versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $502 vs $249 – 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 126%, 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 $4,393 per month in Tromso and $1,945 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 $2,929 in Tromso and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 125% 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 $1,297, than in Tromso at $2,929. 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.