Cost of Living Comparison Between Oyster Bay, NY and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Oyster Bay, NY and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,501 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,746 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,991 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Oyster Bay, NY is roughly 99% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oyster Bay, NY is 87% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.91 $16.91

$11.95 MX$208

41.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 $99.7

$41.94 MX$730

137.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$10.42 MX$181

17.08%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$3.51 MX$61.2

57.55%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$1.52 MX$26.39

49.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.91 MX$15.84

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.04 MX$52.9

125.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.37 MX$76.1

57.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.42 MX$24.73

-8.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.83 MX$31.87

103.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$1.63 MX$28.45

226.38%

Eggs

$4.87 $4.87

$2.54 MX$44.20

91.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 $14.18

$8.57 MX$149

65.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 $10.43

$8.49 MX$148

22.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.56 $17.56

$10.80 MX$188

62.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.75 MX$47.94

81.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.44 MX$25.00

20.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.89 MX$32.83

106.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.17 MX$37.77

98.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.78 MX$30.97

57.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.22 MX$38.71

13.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.07 MX$18.60

120.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.08 MX$18.79

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 $11.85

$4.15 MX$72.2

185.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 $14.96

$10.45 MX$182

43.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.74 MX$30.34

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.58 MX$44.92

73.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.51 MX$8.94

286.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.21 MX$55.9

-4.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.50 MX$43.55

-19.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.07 $24.07

$3.19 MX$55.4

654.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.26 MX$21.87

-28.57%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

-19.36%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

7.18%

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

$125 $125

$82.0 MX$1,427

52.68%

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

$45.74 $45.74

$22.73 MX$395

101.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 $58.8

$29.42 MX$512

99.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.26 $43.26

$52.2 MX$908

-17.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$16.90 $16.90

$4.93 MX$85.9

242.80%

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

$1,720 $1,720

$202 MX$3,511

752.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

202.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.49 $49.49

$35.93 MX$625

37.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 $64.2

$40.33 MX$702

59.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 $75.1

$79.9 MX$1,390

-6.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 $96.2

$89.3 MX$1,554

7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,617 $1,617

$948 MX$16.5K

70.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$465 MX$8,097

192.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,612 $2,612

$1,630 MX$28.4K

60.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,224 $2,224

$1,193 MX$20.8K

86.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,965 $2,965

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-24.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 $2,237

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-65.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

11.42

-42.03%

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

Last update for Oyster Bay, NY: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,617 in Oyster Bay, NY and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $100 in Oyster Bay, NY vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Oyster Bay, NY vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,752 in Oyster Bay, NY and $1,888 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,617 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,720 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $202 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $100 in Oyster Bay, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,501 in Oyster Bay, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oyster Bay, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Oyster Bay, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Oyster Bay, NY and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Oyster Bay, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.