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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $307 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $509 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $711 in Shimla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 312% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shimla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Shimla 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$1.55 ₹149

648.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$5.28 ₹506

792.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$3.11 ₹298

281.99%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$0.88 ₹84.6

352.27%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.38 ₹36.72

276.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.10 ₹9.30

720.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.56 ₹150

104.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.14 ₹205

217.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$0.63 ₹60.4

166.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.37 ₹35.49

494.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$0.59 ₹56.4

189.83%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$0.84 ₹80.5

226.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$4.13 ₹396

131.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.22 ₹309

179.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$1.78 ₹171

62.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$0.74 ₹71.5

102.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$0.68 ₹65.0

216.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$0.45 ₹43.03

402.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$0.30 ₹28.86

560.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$0.33 ₹32.03

503.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.20 ₹19.14

515.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.27 ₹25.68

344.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$3.38 ₹325

34.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$8.29 ₹795

25.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.53 ₹147

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.09 ₹201

37.80%

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

$3.79 ₹364

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.22 ₹21.10

172.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$7.98 ₹765

260.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.03 ₹98.6

423.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.30 ₹28.66

1143.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$1.02 ₹97.4

465.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.04 ₹99.9

48.08%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$8,478 ₹813.2K

165.97%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$17.9K ₹1.7M

45.52%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$18.06 ₹1,733

405.98%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$3.05 ₹292

726.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$6.63 ₹636

371.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$13.95 ₹1,338

381.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$10.41 ₹998

179.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$3.21 ₹308

51.40%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$40.67 ₹3,901

449.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$2,112 ₹202.6K

100.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$25.35 ₹2,431

85.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$21.99 ₹2,109

101.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$38.43 ₹3,686

108.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$26.27 ₹2,520

252.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$85.7 ₹8,220

1139.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$52.2 ₹5,006

647.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$202 ₹19.3K

965.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$170 ₹16.3K

649.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$980 ₹94.0K

308.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$496 ₹47.6K

1210.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$622 ₹59.7K

21.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.25

38.79%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Shimla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $85.7 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 22% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $5.00 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $97.0 – 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 312%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $461 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $307 in Shimla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 261% 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 $307, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.