Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Shimla Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Shimla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $337 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $539 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $742 in Shimla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 274% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shimla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Shimla 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$1.78 ₹167

555.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$5.90 ₹554

609.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$3.56 ₹334

192.13%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$0.93 ₹87.2

288.17%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.31 ₹29.53

374.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.15 ₹14.11

506.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.62 ₹152

87.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.30 ₹216

94.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.75 ₹70.7

84.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.44 ₹41.38

318.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.64 ₹59.8

151.56%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$0.86 ₹80.3

198.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.36 ₹409

94.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$3.70 ₹347

129.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.97 ₹185

38.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$0.70 ₹65.5

114.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$0.82 ₹76.7

139.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$0.56 ₹52.3

278.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.35 ₹32.54

431.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.44 ₹41.34

393.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.22 ₹20.63

386.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.34 ₹31.54

208.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$4.46 ₹418

-6.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$5.26 ₹494

95.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.69 ₹159

-1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.25 ₹211

10.67%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.91 ₹555

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.22 ₹20.53

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$8.78 ₹824

199.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.83 ₹77.8

273.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$1.18 ₹110

174.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.19 ₹111

5.88%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$15.0K ₹1.4M

101.77%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$19.7K ₹1.8M

19.09%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$19.05 ₹1,788

340.89%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$3.45 ₹324

543.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$7.69 ₹721

285.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$14.60 ₹1,370

260.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$7.20 ₹676

154.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$3.44 ₹323

43.90%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$46.07 ₹4,324

330.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$2,352 ₹220.8K

126.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$33.31 ₹3,127

7.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$28.80 ₹2,704

39.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$46.18 ₹4,334

70.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$29.10 ₹2,731

197.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$94.6 ₹8,878

932.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$58.3 ₹5,467

708.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$223 ₹20.9K

616.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$138 ₹13.0K

779.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$955 ₹89.6K

322.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$515 ₹48.3K

1178.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$577 ₹54.1K

23.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.25

38.42%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Shimla: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $95 in Shimla. 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 24% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $6 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $100 – making Shimla 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

Playa del Carmen vs Shimla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 274%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $506 in Shimla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shimla, 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $337 in Shimla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 199% less in Shimla. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shimla, where all-in costs run around $337, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Shimla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shimla – 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 Shimla. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.