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: $3,927 in Simpson Bay versus $3,141 in Philipsburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,485 in Simpson Bay versus $6,026 in Philipsburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,042 in Simpson Bay versus $8,911 in Philipsburg.

Living in Simpson Bay is roughly 25% more expensive than in Philipsburg, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Simpson Bay 186% above, Philipsburg 129% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.94 ANG 33.81

$15.42 ANG 27.52

22.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 ANG 232

$71.3 ANG 127

82.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 ANG 23.26

$8.03 ANG 14.34

62.27%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ANG 7.92

$4.24 ANG 7.57

4.72%

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

$3.03 ANG 5.40

$2.85 ANG 5.08

6.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ANG 5.22

$3.98 ANG 7.10

-26.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 ANG 10.00

$3.07 ANG 5.47

82.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 ANG 7.01

$6.33 ANG 11.30

-37.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.06 ANG 7.25

$2.95 ANG 5.27

37.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 ANG 5.03

$2.70 ANG 4.82

4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 ANG 5.42

$2.54 ANG 4.53

19.69%

Eggs

$4.44 ANG 7.93

$6.27 ANG 11.19

-29.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.67 ANG 44.04

$18.23 ANG 32.54

35.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.58 ANG 24.25

$14.06 ANG 25.10

-3.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 ANG 30.30

$14.92 ANG 26.63

13.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 ANG 7.64

$5.31 ANG 9.47

-19.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.56 ANG 6.35

$5.26 ANG 9.38

-32.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.62 ANG 11.81

$9.03 ANG 16.12

-26.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 ANG 8.99

$7.47 ANG 13.34

-32.53%

Potato (1kg)

$4.03 ANG 7.20

$4.03 ANG 7.19

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ANG 6.19

$3.99 ANG 7.12

-13.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 ANG 5.45

$5.14 ANG 9.17

-40.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ANG 2.51

$1.31 ANG 2.33

6.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 ANG 14.14

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 ANG 27.26

$11.19 ANG 19.98

36.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.88 ANG 8.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ANG 3.05

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 ANG 5.45

$2.30 ANG 4.11

32.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$1.46 ANG 2.61

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.81 ANG 26.44

$15.21 ANG 27.14

-2.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ANG 2.36

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

$505 ANG 902

$151 ANG 269

235.07%

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

$34.81 ANG 62.1

$33.03 ANG 59.0

5.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.2 ANG 157

$66.1 ANG 118

33.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.7 ANG 131

$61.6 ANG 110

19.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 ANG 14.69

$10.96 ANG 19.57

-24.91%

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

$753 ANG 1,345

$246 ANG 438

206.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K ANG 21.5K

$11.9K ANG 21.3K

0.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 ANG 89.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.86 ANG 71.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ANG 179

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 ANG 106

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,297 ANG 4,101

$2,154 ANG 3,845

6.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 ANG 4,070

$2,040 ANG 3,642

11.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,893 ANG 10.5K

$6,454 ANG 11.5K

-8.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,742 ANG 10.2K

$6,591 ANG 11.8K

-12.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,126 ANG 2,009

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Simpson Bay: August 31, 2026

Last update for Philipsburg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,297 in Simpson Bay and $2,154 in Philipsburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $130 in Simpson Bay vs $71.0 in Philipsburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $468 vs $496, 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 25% 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 $5,891 in Simpson Bay and $4,712 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: $2,297 in Simpson Bay versus $2,154 in Philipsburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Simpson Bay pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,927 per month in Simpson Bay versus $3,141 in Philipsburg – a 25% 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 25% less than in Simpson Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.