Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Simpsonville, SC and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,229 in Simpsonville, SC, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

108

Cost of Living Index in Simpsonville, SC
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Simpsonville, SC Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Simpsonville, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,229

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Simpsonville, SC and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Simpsonville, SC and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,229 per month in Simpsonville, SC vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Simpsonville, SC $2,229
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $3,292 per month in Simpsonville, SC vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Simpsonville, SC $3,292
Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $4,356 per month in Simpsonville, SC vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Simpsonville, SC $4,356
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Simpsonville, SC costs about 85% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Simpsonville, SC sits 65% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 $17.90

$10.86 MX$201

64.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.6 $75.6

$44.21 MX$817

70.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 $11.03

$11.76 MX$217

-6.21%

Cappuccino

$5.29 $5.29

$3.68 MX$68.0

43.75%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.34 MX$24.79

103.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.82 MX$15.24

145.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$3.06 MX$56.6

101.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 $7.62

$4.94 MX$91.2

54.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.47 MX$27.17

-38.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.22 MX$40.95

86.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.48 MX$27.32

116.89%

Eggs

$3.91 $3.91

$2.49 MX$45.99

57.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.99 $14.99

$7.52 MX$139

99.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.70 $12.70

$7.96 MX$147

59.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.86 $17.86

$12.57 MX$232

42.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$2.78 MX$51.3

95.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.43 MX$26.37

4.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.62 MX$48.37

71.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.14 MX$39.49

110.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.02 MX$37.38

82.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.99 MX$36.74

53.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.14 MX$21.01

80.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.20 MX$22.18

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.46 $8.46

$4.26 MX$78.7

98.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$10.02 MX$185

49.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.54 MX$28.41

5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.66 MX$49.17

-33.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MX$9.73

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.51 MX$508

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$4.90 MX$90.6

-37.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$3.43 MX$63.5

-55.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.91 $17.91

$5.38 MX$99.4

232.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.45 MX$26.76

-38.62%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$21.2K MX$391.0K

22.57%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.0K MX$425.3K

9.46%

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

$145 $145

$85.4 MX$1,577

69.66%

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

$66.6 $66.6

$23.46 MX$434

184.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 $79.6

$28.43 MX$525

179.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.7 $87.7

$62.2 MX$1,149

40.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.68 MX$530

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 $15.29

$5.10 MX$94.3

199.80%

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

$1,463 $1,463

$201 MX$3,715

627.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K $10.0K

$3,947 MX$72.9K

154.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.84 $49.84

$44.39 MX$820

12.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.47 $35.47

$41.35 MX$764

-14.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 $87.8

$72.7 MX$1,344

20.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$89.6 MX$1,656

47.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 $1,280

$979 MX$18.1K

30.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 $958

$373 MX$6,887

157.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 $1,803

$1,681 MX$31.1K

7.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,499 $1,499

$1,095 MX$20.2K

36.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,949 MX$73.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,137 MX$113.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,369 $4,369

$738 MX$13.6K

492.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

11.45

-41.48%

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

Last update for Simpsonville, SC: October 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Simpsonville, SC

$958 43%

Playa del Carmen

$373 31% 61.1% $585

Groceries & Markets

Simpsonville, SC

$409 18.4%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5% 36.9% $151

Eating Out

Simpsonville, SC

$305 13.7%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6% 34.3% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Simpsonville, SC

$291 13.1%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 52.8% $154

Clothing & Footwear

Simpsonville, SC

$137 6.2%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 18.8% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Simpsonville, SC

$118 5.3%

Playa del Carmen

$72 6% 38.8% $46

Getting Around

Simpsonville, SC

$11 * 0.5%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3% 386% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,280 in Simpsonville, SC versus $979 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.

Salaries run about 492% higher in Simpsonville, SC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Simpsonville, SC versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $409 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Simpsonville, SC

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

09:17 9:17 AM

08:17 8:17 AM

1 h behind Simpsonville, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

22,234

149,923

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Simpsonville, SC Playa del Carmen 1,640 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Simpsonville, SC
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Simpsonville, SC vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Simpsonville, SC is pricier by about 85%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,344 per month in Simpsonville, SC and $1,806 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 $2,229 in Simpsonville, SC and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 85%.

Kindergarten costs $1,463 per month in Simpsonville, SC and $201 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 $1,204, than in Simpsonville, SC at $2,229. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Simpsonville, SC 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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