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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,648 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,397 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $9,145 in Simpson Bay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 66% cheaper than Simpson Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Simpson Bay is 173% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$21.83 ANG 38.97

-45.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$139 ANG 248

-69.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.91 ANG 5.20

20.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.95 ANG 5.26

-50.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$3.04 ANG 5.43

-71.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$5.41 ANG 9.66

-45.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.12 ANG 7.35

9.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$4.62 ANG 8.25

-69.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.46 ANG 4.39

-25.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.48 ANG 4.43

-36.69%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.13 ANG 7.37

-39.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$18.38 ANG 32.81

-54.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$13.97 ANG 24.93

-39.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$15.56 ANG 27.78

-31.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.69 ANG 6.58

-29.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.91 ANG 5.19

-50.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$5.21 ANG 9.30

-62.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.98 ANG 7.10

-47.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.99 ANG 5.33

-38.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.06 ANG 3.67

5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.95 ANG 5.27

-65.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.45 ANG 2.59

-26.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$15.13 ANG 27.01

-32.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.98 ANG 1.75

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.52 ANG 2.72

66.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$2.16 ANG 3.86

-76.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$9.86 ANG 17.60

-67.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.41 ANG 2.51

-6.38%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$507 ANG 905

-83.83%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$35.34 ANG 63.1

-35.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$89.2 ANG 159

-66.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$8.61 ANG 15.36

-42.16%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$1,009 ANG 1,801

-80.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$12.0K ANG 21.4K

-55.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$78.9 ANG 141

-0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$2,295 ANG 4,097

-58.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$2,288 ANG 4,084

-79.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$6,494 ANG 11.6K

-74.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$5,963 ANG 10.6K

-79.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Simpson Bay: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,295 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $139 in Simpson Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $426 – 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 190%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,473 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $3,648 in Simpson Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,009 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 $1,256, than in Simpson Bay at $3,648. 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.