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 $2,965 per month in Tromso vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,410 per month in Tromso vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,854 per month in Tromso vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tromso costs about 136% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tromso sits 122% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$33.12 NOK 319

$11.99 MX$210

176.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,163

$41.78 MX$733

188.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.95 NOK 144

$10.75 MX$189

39.07%

Cappuccino

$6.11 NOK 59.0

$3.50 MX$61.3

74.57%

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

$4.51 NOK 43.52

$1.45 MX$25.41

211.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 NOK 32.38

$0.88 MX$15.52

281.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.31 NOK 109

$2.95 MX$51.7

283.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.00 NOK 106

$4.51 MX$79.1

143.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 NOK 24.05

$1.43 MX$25.12

74.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 NOK 30.77

$1.84 MX$32.23

73.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.47 NOK 33.46

$1.57 MX$27.51

121.02%

Eggs

$4.86 NOK 46.89

$2.51 MX$44.06

93.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 NOK 112

$8.28 MX$145

40.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 NOK 147

$8.43 MX$148

80.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.68 NOK 363

$10.68 MX$187

252.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 NOK 37.18

$2.61 MX$45.76

47.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 NOK 27.12

$1.44 MX$25.22

95.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 34.38

$1.96 MX$34.41

81.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 NOK 49.72

$2.09 MX$36.74

146.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 NOK 28.77

$1.85 MX$32.47

61.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 34.33

$2.17 MX$38.02

64.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 NOK 25.87

$1.03 MX$18.09

160.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NOK 16.90

$1.07 MX$18.84

63.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.11 NOK 146

$4.10 MX$72.0

268.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.35 NOK 177

$10.17 MX$178

80.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.64 NOK 35.06

$1.68 MX$29.38

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 NOK 43.83

$2.53 MX$44.31

79.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.69 NOK 45.20

$0.51 MX$8.93

819.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 NOK 574

$26.04 MX$457

128.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.71 NOK 123

$3.23 MX$56.7

293.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 NOK 10.48

$2.41 MX$42.19

-54.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.8 NOK 490

$3.23 MX$56.6

1471.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 NOK 21.54

$1.32 MX$23.17

68.94%

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

$33.1K NOK 319.0K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

11.39%

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

$36.6K NOK 352.8K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

54.60%

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

$252 NOK 2,428

$82.0 MX$1,439

207.02%

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

$47.54 NOK 458

$22.95 MX$403

107.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 NOK 732

$30.11 MX$528

151.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.75 NOK 460

$52.0 MX$912

-8.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.56 NOK 381

$18.53 MX$325

113.49%

Cinema Ticket

$16.45 NOK 159

$4.98 MX$87.3

230.32%

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

$334 NOK 3,216

$197 MX$3,463

68.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,348 NOK 70.9K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

37.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 NOK 878

$35.60 MX$624

155.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.49 NOK 323

$40.33 MX$707

-16.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 NOK 1,288

$78.8 MX$1,381

69.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 NOK 1,279

$88.9 MX$1,560

49.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 NOK 13.0K

$947 MX$16.6K

42.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 NOK 12.1K

$474 MX$8,314

165.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,549 NOK 24.6K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

55.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,815 NOK 17.5K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

49.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,817 NOK 85.0K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

117.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,188 NOK 50.0K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-19.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,066 NOK 39.2K

$654 MX$11.5K

521.88%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,352 in Tromso versus $947 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 522% 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 136%, 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 $4,448 per month in Tromso and $1,884 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 $2,965 in Tromso and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 128% 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 $1,256, than in Tromso at $2,965. 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.