Cost of Living Comparison Between Simpson Bay and Philipsburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Simpson Bay and Philipsburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,727 in Simpson Bay versus $3,079 in Philipsburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,371 in Simpson Bay versus $5,825 in Philipsburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,016 in Simpson Bay versus $8,571 in Philipsburg.

Living in Simpson Bay is roughly 21% more expensive than Philipsburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Simpson Bay 178% above, Philipsburg 130% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.68 ANG 38.70

$14.89 ANG 26.57

45.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$137 ANG 245

$76.5 ANG 136

79.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ANG 13.99

Cappuccino

$2.96 ANG 5.29

$4.27 ANG 7.62

-30.68%

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

$2.93 ANG 5.23

$3.07 ANG 5.48

-4.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ANG 5.41

$3.69 ANG 6.59

-17.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 ANG 9.99

$2.94 ANG 5.24

90.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 ANG 7.00

$4.86 ANG 8.68

-19.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.51 ANG 8.05

$3.01 ANG 5.38

49.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 ANG 4.39

$3.19 ANG 5.69

-22.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 ANG 4.65

$3.08 ANG 5.50

-15.58%

Eggs

$4.17 ANG 7.44

$6.24 ANG 11.14

-33.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.68 ANG 33.34

$18.64 ANG 33.28

0.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 ANG 24.94

$17.11 ANG 30.55

-18.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 ANG 27.01

$19.55 ANG 34.90

-22.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 ANG 6.67

$6.13 ANG 10.94

-38.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 ANG 5.10

$6.07 ANG 10.83

-52.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.23 ANG 9.33

$9.28 ANG 16.56

-43.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 ANG 7.01

$6.45 ANG 11.51

-39.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 ANG 5.38

$3.98 ANG 7.11

-24.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ANG 3.49

$4.04 ANG 7.22

-51.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 ANG 5.33

$4.42 ANG 7.89

-32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ANG 2.53

$1.96 ANG 3.50

-27.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.89 ANG 14.08

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 ANG 27.14

$11.02 ANG 19.67

37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ANG 1.74

$3.32 ANG 5.93

-70.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ANG 2.76

$2.77 ANG 4.94

-44.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 ANG 3.86

$1.54 ANG 2.75

40.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.06 ANG 17.95

$14.78 ANG 26.38

-31.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.88 ANG 8.72

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ANG 2.60

$1.43 ANG 2.56

2.10%

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

$503 ANG 898

$225 ANG 401

123.71%

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

$35.37 ANG 63.1

$32.45 ANG 57.9

9.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 ANG 153

$69.9 ANG 125

22.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 ANG 110

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 ANG 15.15

$12.97 ANG 23.16

-34.54%

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

$1,019 ANG 1,818

$376 ANG 670

171.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ANG 21.9K

$11.4K ANG 20.3K

7.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ANG 141

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 ANG 4,068

$1,978 ANG 3,530

15.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 ANG 4,170

$1,897 ANG 3,385

23.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,559 ANG 11.7K

$5,747 ANG 10.3K

14.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,796 ANG 10.3K

$5,638 ANG 10.1K

2.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,109 ANG 1,980

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

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

Last update for Simpson Bay: May 31, 2026

Last update for Philipsburg: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,279 in Simpson Bay and $1,978 in Philipsburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $137 in Simpson Bay vs $76.0 in Philipsburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $425 vs $541, with Simpson Bay cheaper for home cooking.

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

Simpson Bay vs Philipsburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Philipsburg wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Simpson Bay. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Philipsburg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $5,590 in Simpson Bay and $4,619 in Philipsburg to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,279 in Simpson Bay versus $1,978 in Philipsburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Simpson Bay pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,727 per month in Simpson Bay versus $3,079 in Philipsburg – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Philipsburg is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Philipsburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Simpson Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.