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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $332 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $532 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $732 in Shimla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 279% 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

$11.72 MX$203

$1.77 ₹169

562.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$5.84 ₹557

617.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.51 ₹335

199.43%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.00 ₹95.5

259.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.34 ₹32.46

344.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.16 ₹15.70

475.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.58 ₹151

87.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.35 ₹224

87.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.73 ₹70.0

91.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.45 ₹42.80

317.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.62 ₹59.1

151.61%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$0.92 ₹88.1

183.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$4.31 ₹411

93.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.59 ₹343

132.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.93 ₹184

40.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.69 ₹65.8

118.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.79 ₹75.8

136.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.56 ₹53.2

291.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.38 ₹36.01

389.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.43 ₹41.13

418.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.24 ₹22.92

345.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.37 ₹34.95

194.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.46 ₹426

-6.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.98 ₹665

49.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.78 ₹170

-6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.25 ₹215

16.00%

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

$5.68 ₹542

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.24 ₹22.99

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$8.93 ₹852

192.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.83 ₹78.9

271.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$1.18 ₹113

165.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.18 ₹113

11.02%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$15.1K ₹1.4M

97.80%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.1K ₹1.9M

16.31%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$19.55 ₹1,864

315.75%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$3.54 ₹338

537.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$7.68 ₹733

291.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$14.43 ₹1,376

266.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$7.10 ₹677

159.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.46 ₹330

42.20%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$45.25 ₹4,315

343.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,380 ₹227.0K

117.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$33.95 ₹3,238

5.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$28.04 ₹2,675

43.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$47.40 ₹4,521

68.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$29.42 ₹2,806

193.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$96.7 ₹9,225

911.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$58.7 ₹5,594

702.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$225 ₹21.4K

634.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$138 ₹13.2K

769.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$980 ₹93.4K

303.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$525 ₹50.1K

1157.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$554 ₹52.8K

22.23%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shimla: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $96.7 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $6.00 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 279%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $498 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $332 in Shimla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 193% 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 $332, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.