Cost of Living Comparison Between Philipsburg and Simpson Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Philipsburg and Simpson Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,141 in Philipsburg versus $3,927 in Simpson Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,026 in Philipsburg versus $6,485 in Simpson Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,911 in Philipsburg versus $9,042 in Simpson Bay.

Living in Philipsburg costs roughly 20% less than in Simpson Bay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Philipsburg 129% above, Simpson Bay 186% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.42 ANG 27.52

$18.94 ANG 33.81

-18.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 ANG 127

$130 ANG 232

-45.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 ANG 14.34

$13.03 ANG 23.26

-38.37%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ANG 7.57

$4.44 ANG 7.92

-4.50%

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

$2.85 ANG 5.08

$3.03 ANG 5.40

-5.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 ANG 7.10

$2.92 ANG 5.22

36.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 ANG 5.47

$5.60 ANG 10.00

-45.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 ANG 11.30

$3.93 ANG 7.01

61.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 ANG 5.27

$4.06 ANG 7.25

-27.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 ANG 4.82

$2.82 ANG 5.03

-4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 ANG 4.53

$3.04 ANG 5.42

-16.45%

Eggs

$6.27 ANG 11.19

$4.44 ANG 7.93

41.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.23 ANG 32.54

$24.67 ANG 44.04

-26.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.06 ANG 25.10

$13.58 ANG 24.25

3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.92 ANG 26.63

$16.97 ANG 30.30

-12.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 ANG 9.47

$4.28 ANG 7.64

24.07%

Banana (1kg)

$5.26 ANG 9.38

$3.56 ANG 6.35

47.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$9.03 ANG 16.12

$6.62 ANG 11.81

36.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.47 ANG 13.34

$5.04 ANG 8.99

48.21%

Potato (1kg)

$4.03 ANG 7.19

$4.03 ANG 7.20

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 ANG 7.12

$3.47 ANG 6.19

14.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.14 ANG 9.17

$3.05 ANG 5.45

68.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ANG 2.33

$1.40 ANG 2.51

-6.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 ANG 14.14

Wine (Bottle)

$11.19 ANG 19.98

$15.27 ANG 27.26

-26.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.88 ANG 8.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ANG 3.05

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 ANG 4.11

$3.05 ANG 5.45

-24.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$1.46 ANG 2.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.21 ANG 27.14

$14.81 ANG 26.44

2.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ANG 2.36

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

$151 ANG 269

$505 ANG 902

-70.16%

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

$33.03 ANG 59.0

$34.81 ANG 62.1

-5.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 ANG 118

$88.2 ANG 157

-25.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 ANG 110

$73.7 ANG 131

-16.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.96 ANG 19.57

$8.23 ANG 14.69

33.17%

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

$246 ANG 438

$753 ANG 1,345

-67.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ANG 21.3K

$12.0K ANG 21.5K

-0.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 ANG 89.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.86 ANG 71.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ANG 179

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 ANG 106

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,154 ANG 3,845

$2,297 ANG 4,101

-6.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ANG 3,642

$2,280 ANG 4,070

-10.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,454 ANG 11.5K

$5,893 ANG 10.5K

9.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$6,591 ANG 11.8K

$5,742 ANG 10.2K

14.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,126 ANG 2,009

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Philipsburg: August 29, 2026

Last update for Simpson Bay: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,154 in Philipsburg and $2,297 in Simpson Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Philipsburg vs $130 in Simpson Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $496 vs $468, with Simpson Bay cheaper for home cooking.

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

Philipsburg vs Simpson Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Philipsburg wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Simpson Bay. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Philipsburg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,712 in Philipsburg and $5,891 in Simpson Bay 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: $2,154 in Philipsburg versus $2,297 in Simpson Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Simpson Bay pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,141 per month in Philipsburg versus $3,927 in Simpson Bay – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Philipsburg is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Philipsburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Simpson Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.