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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Simpson Bay costs about 204% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.94 ANG 33.81

$11.71 MX$198

61.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 ANG 232

$46.59 MX$788

179.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 ANG 23.26

$11.65 MX$197

11.85%

Cappuccino

$4.44 ANG 7.92

$4.09 MX$69.2

8.56%

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

$3.03 ANG 5.40

$1.37 MX$23.23

121.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ANG 5.22

$0.83 MX$14.09

251.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 ANG 10.00

$3.35 MX$56.7

67.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 ANG 7.01

$6.91 MX$117

-43.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.06 ANG 7.25

$1.73 MX$29.20

134.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 ANG 5.03

$2.26 MX$38.21

24.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 ANG 5.42

$1.77 MX$29.91

71.75%

Eggs

$4.44 ANG 7.93

$2.73 MX$46.19

62.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.67 ANG 44.04

$9.18 MX$155

168.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.58 ANG 24.25

$8.92 MX$151

52.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 ANG 30.30

$12.60 MX$213

34.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 ANG 7.64

$3.02 MX$51.1

41.72%

Banana (1kg)

$3.56 ANG 6.35

$1.57 MX$26.55

126.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.62 ANG 11.81

$2.13 MX$35.93

210.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 ANG 8.99

$2.26 MX$38.28

123.01%

Potato (1kg)

$4.03 ANG 7.20

$2.00 MX$33.88

101.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ANG 6.19

$2.06 MX$34.90

68.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 ANG 5.45

$1.18 MX$19.94

158.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ANG 2.51

$1.20 MX$20.35

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 ANG 27.26

$10.69 MX$181

42.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ANG 3.05

$2.88 MX$48.70

-40.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 ANG 5.45

$0.57 MX$9.69

435.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.81 ANG 26.44

$5.45 MX$92.1

171.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ANG 2.36

$1.55 MX$26.26

-14.84%

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)

$505 ANG 902

$89.1 MX$1,507

466.72%

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

$34.81 ANG 62.1

$25.04 MX$423

39.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.2 ANG 157

$31.50 MX$532

179.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.7 ANG 131

$67.8 MX$1,146

8.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 ANG 14.69

$5.05 MX$85.4

62.97%

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

$753 ANG 1,345

$225 MX$3,803

234.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K ANG 21.5K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

184.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 ANG 89.6

$47.44 MX$802

5.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.86 ANG 71.1

$44.98 MX$760

-11.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ANG 179

$82.0 MX$1,386

22.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 ANG 106

$92.1 MX$1,557

-35.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,297 ANG 4,101

$1,069 MX$18.1K

114.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 ANG 4,070

$405 MX$6,852

462.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,893 ANG 10.5K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

204.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,742 ANG 10.2K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

341.24%

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 Simpson Bay: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,297 in Simpson Bay versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $130 in Simpson Bay versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $468 vs $277 – 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

Simpson Bay vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $5,891 per month in Simpson Bay and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $3,927 in Simpson Bay and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $753 per month in Simpson Bay and $225 in Playa del Carmen. 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.