Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Simpson Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Simpson Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,927 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,485 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $9,042 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 67% cheaper than Simpson Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Simpson Bay is 186% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$18.94 ANG 33.81

-38.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$130 ANG 232

-64.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$13.03 ANG 23.26

-10.59%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$4.44 ANG 7.92

-7.88%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$3.03 ANG 5.40

-54.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$2.92 ANG 5.22

-71.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$5.60 ANG 10.00

-40.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.93 ANG 7.01

75.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$4.06 ANG 7.25

-57.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$2.82 ANG 5.03

-19.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$3.04 ANG 5.42

-41.78%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$4.44 ANG 7.93

-38.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$24.67 ANG 44.04

-62.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$13.58 ANG 24.25

-34.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$16.97 ANG 30.30

-25.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$4.28 ANG 7.64

-29.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$3.56 ANG 6.35

-55.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$6.62 ANG 11.81

-67.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$5.04 ANG 8.99

-55.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$4.03 ANG 7.20

-50.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$3.47 ANG 6.19

-40.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$3.05 ANG 5.45

-61.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.40 ANG 2.51

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$15.27 ANG 27.26

-29.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$1.71 ANG 3.05

68.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$3.05 ANG 5.45

-81.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$14.81 ANG 26.44

-63.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.32 ANG 2.36

17.42%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$505 ANG 902

-82.35%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$34.81 ANG 62.1

-28.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$88.2 ANG 157

-64.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$73.7 ANG 131

-7.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$8.23 ANG 14.69

-38.64%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$753 ANG 1,345

-70.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$12.0K ANG 21.5K

-64.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$50.2 ANG 89.6

-5.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$39.86 ANG 71.1

12.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$100 ANG 179

-18.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$59.4 ANG 106

55.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$2,297 ANG 4,101

-53.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$2,280 ANG 4,070

-82.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$5,893 ANG 10.5K

-67.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$5,742 ANG 10.2K

-77.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Simpson Bay: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,297 in Simpson Bay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $130 in Simpson Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $468 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Simpson Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Simpson Bay is pricier by about 204%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,891 in Simpson Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $3,927 in Simpson Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $753 in Simpson Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Simpson Bay at $3,927. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Simpson Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Simpson Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.