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: $2,739 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,080 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,420 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Oyster Bay, NY is roughly 116% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oyster Bay, NY is 100% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.03 $25.03

$11.60 MX$200

115.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$47.11 MX$811

108.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.88 MX$205

8.92%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$3.98 MX$68.5

34.17%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$1.43 MX$24.58

55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.82 MX$14.20

84.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.78 $8.78

$3.19 MX$54.9

175.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$6.79 MX$117

21.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.68 MX$28.86

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.20 MX$37.84

93.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$1.71 MX$29.42

260.23%

Eggs

$5.88 $5.88

$2.74 MX$47.21

114.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.04 $14.04

$9.58 MX$165

46.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$9.01 MX$155

11.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.78 $19.78

$12.81 MX$221

54.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$2.89 MX$49.75

84.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.50 MX$25.79

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.15 MX$37.00

101.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.26 MX$38.92

117.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.98 MX$34.11

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.99 MX$34.27

69.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.23 MX$21.26

130.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.20 MX$20.61

147.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.40 $11.40

$4.55 MX$78.4

150.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$10.37 MX$179

46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.62 MX$27.88

8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.88 MX$49.61

21.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.60 MX$10.34

241.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$5.39 MX$92.8

-45.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 $2.06

$3.73 MX$64.2

-44.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.80 $23.80

$5.77 MX$99.4

312.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.54 MX$26.46

-30.52%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$22.5K MX$388.4K

58.51%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.1K MX$448.8K

-2.50%

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

$208 $208

$91.4 MX$1,574

128.14%

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

$74.7 $74.7

$25.20 MX$434

196.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 $64.8

$31.24 MX$538

107.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.24 $42.24

$67.2 MX$1,158

-37.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$4.86 MX$83.8

212.96%

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

$2,026 $2,026

$224 MX$3,852

805.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K $16.3K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

285.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$47.10 MX$811

7.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 $57.0

$44.29 MX$763

28.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 $88.3

$80.1 MX$1,380

10.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 $151

$92.7 MX$1,596

63.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$1,063 MX$18.3K

49.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 $1,285

$390 MX$6,721

229.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 $2,483

$2,149 MX$37.0K

15.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,120 $2,120

$1,272 MX$21.9K

66.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 $2,791

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-30.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 $2,237

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-65.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,896 $6,896

$758 MX$13.1K

809.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.22

11.45

-45.68%

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

Last update for Oyster Bay, NY: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,587 in Oyster Bay, NY and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oyster Bay, NY pays 810% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $98.0 in Oyster Bay, NY vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $444 vs $276 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. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 810% higher in Oyster Bay, NY, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,587 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,026 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $224 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 $47.00 versus $98.0 in Oyster Bay, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,739 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 116% less than in Oyster Bay, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.