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: $2,569 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,818 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,067 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Oyster Bay, NY is roughly 98% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oyster Bay, NY is 92% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.06 $17.06

$11.73 MX$205

45.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 $99.0

$41.62 MX$727

137.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 $11.91

$10.64 MX$186

11.94%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$3.52 MX$61.5

54.83%

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

$2.37 $2.37

$1.51 MX$26.37

56.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.97 MX$17.00

65.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 $6.79

$2.95 MX$51.5

130.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.45 MX$77.8

56.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.38 MX$24.16

-7.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.89 MX$33.04

97.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$1.64 MX$28.59

212.80%

Eggs

$4.78 $4.78

$2.51 MX$43.76

90.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.93 $13.93

$8.34 MX$146

67.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.19 $10.19

$8.34 MX$146

22.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.15 $17.15

$10.73 MX$187

59.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.60 MX$45.48

86.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.46 MX$25.45

18.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.90 MX$33.19

102.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.08 MX$36.26

100.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.78 MX$31.01

62.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.19 MX$38.16

15.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.04 MX$18.16

130.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.08 MX$18.80

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.75 $11.75

$4.08 MX$71.3

187.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$10.32 MX$180

47.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.71 MX$29.90

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.58 MX$44.98

74.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.51 MX$8.90

303.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.26 MX$57.0

-6.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.49 MX$43.51

-19.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.83 $23.83

$3.25 MX$56.7

633.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.31 MX$22.83

-29.77%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-21.69%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

6.58%

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

$126 $126

$82.9 MX$1,447

52.52%

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

$44.48 $44.48

$22.22 MX$388

100.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 $57.5

$29.34 MX$512

96.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 $43.33

$51.6 MX$902

-16.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$16.87 $16.87

$5.07 MX$88.5

232.74%

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

$1,762 $1,762

$201 MX$3,507

777.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K $15.7K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

201.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 $50.1

$36.92 MX$645

35.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 $64.2

$39.79 MX$695

61.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 $75.5

$78.5 MX$1,370

-3.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 $96.6

$87.1 MX$1,521

10.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 $1,631

$973 MX$17.0K

67.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$468 MX$8,169

193.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,630 $2,630

$1,641 MX$28.7K

60.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 $2,257

$1,221 MX$21.3K

84.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,292 $2,292

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-41.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,298 $2,298

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-64.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,631 in Oyster Bay, NY and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Oyster Bay, NY vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $249 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 98% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,854 in Oyster Bay, NY and $1,945 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: $1,631 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,762 in Oyster Bay, NY versus $201 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 $99.0 in Oyster Bay, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,569 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 98% less than in Oyster Bay, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.