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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $336 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $540 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $744 in Shimla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 278% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shimla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Shimla 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.69 ₹161

602.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$5.85 ₹556

633.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.44 ₹327

209.59%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.95 ₹90.8

263.16%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.31 ₹29.95

383.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.17 ₹15.75

458.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.59 ₹151

90.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.35 ₹224

96.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.70 ₹66.1

97.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.41 ₹39.39

351.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.68 ₹64.4

136.76%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$0.93 ₹88.5

178.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.38 ₹417

88.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.70 ₹352

126.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.98 ₹188

32.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.75 ₹71.7

98.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.76 ₹72.8

152.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.56 ₹52.9

273.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.37 ₹35.35

402.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.44 ₹41.53

413.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.22 ₹20.81

381.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.34 ₹32.12

220.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.45 ₹423

-6.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.73 ₹640

54.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.75 ₹166

-1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.32 ₹221

12.50%

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

$5.86 ₹558

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.24 ₹22.89

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$8.93 ₹849

201.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.79 ₹75.2

296.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$1.19 ₹113

164.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.19 ₹113

6.72%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$15.0K ₹1.4M

102.10%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$19.7K ₹1.9M

19.71%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$19.70 ₹1,874

321.32%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$3.54 ₹337

541.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$7.79 ₹740

278.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$14.61 ₹1,389

249.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$7.04 ₹669

160.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.45 ₹328

42.90%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$46.45 ₹4,418

324.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,348 ₹223.3K

124.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$34.14 ₹3,247

8.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$28.64 ₹2,723

39.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$47.27 ₹4,496

69.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$29.50 ₹2,805

203.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$93.2 ₹8,865

925.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$57.5 ₹5,464

730.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$225 ₹21.4K

632.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$139 ₹13.2K

780.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$958 ₹91.1K

308.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$522 ₹49.7K

1137.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$546 ₹51.9K

22.21%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Shimla: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $93.2 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $6.00 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $103 – 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 278%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $504 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $336 in Shimla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 202% 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 $336, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.