Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sunny Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sunny Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,111 in Sunny Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,671 in Sunny Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,230 in Sunny Beach.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 31% more expensive than in Sunny Beach, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Sunny Beach is 17% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.07 MX$229
$8.10 BGN 13.47
61.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.8 MX$943
$41.93 BGN 69.8
28.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.68 MX$170
$10.02 BGN 16.67
-3.39%
Cappuccino
$3.74 MX$65.6
$1.90 BGN 3.16
96.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$28.34
$1.32 BGN 2.20
22.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 MX$20.37
$1.05 BGN 1.75
10.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.23 MX$56.6
$1.80 BGN 2.99
79.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.74 MX$83.1
$1.82 BGN 3.03
160.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 MX$28.89
$2.04 BGN 3.39
-19.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.75 MX$48.30
$0.62 BGN 1.03
343.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.87
$2.76 BGN 4.60
-32.25%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$43.86
$3.92 BGN 6.52
-36.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.20 MX$179
$13.00 BGN 21.62
-21.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.25 MX$145
$8.33 BGN 13.86
-0.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.82 MX$207
$12.74 BGN 21.19
-7.22%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 MX$52.8
$1.60 BGN 2.66
88.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 MX$31.77
$2.20 BGN 3.65
-17.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.00 MX$35.07
$1.75 BGN 2.91
14.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$35.00
$2.74 BGN 4.56
-27.01%
Potato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.56
$1.19 BGN 1.98
74.79%
Onion (1kg)
$2.27 MX$39.85
$1.36 BGN 2.26
66.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 MX$25.55
$1.22 BGN 2.04
19.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.88
$0.79 BGN 1.32
36.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35 MX$76.3
$3.70 BGN 6.15
17.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.99 MX$298
$5.96 BGN 9.91
185.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.40
$1.19 BGN 1.98
45.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 MX$62.7
$1.70 BGN 2.82
110.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.39 MX$6.79
$1.20 BGN 1.99
-67.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.69 MX$328
$27.06 BGN 45.01
-30.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.33 MX$23.25
$1.16 BGN 1.93
14.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 MX$4.91
$0.61 BGN 1.01
-54.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.25 MX$92.1
$12.03 BGN 20.01
-56.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 MX$23.44
$1.48 BGN 2.47
-9.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.4K MX$340.5K
$37.5K BGN 62.3K
-48.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$418.0K
$34.5K BGN 57.4K
-30.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.69 MX$714
$117 BGN 195
-65.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.87 MX$471
$17.33 BGN 28.84
55.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.51 MX$535
$13.38 BGN 22.26
128.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.8 MX$926
$29.54 BGN 49.14
78.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.65 MX$467
$14.59 BGN 24.27
82.66%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 MX$114
$6.88 BGN 11.44
-5.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$428 MX$7,508
$328 BGN 545
30.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K MX$184.2K
$5,492 BGN 9,136
91.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.3 MX$1,004
$34.40 BGN 57.2
66.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.50 MX$798
$29.72 BGN 49.43
53.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 MX$1,825
$125 BGN 209
-17.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 MX$1,891
$77.9 BGN 130
38.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,003 MX$17.6K
$598 BGN 995
67.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$623 MX$10.9K
$361 BGN 600
72.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,109 MX$37.0K
$701 BGN 1,166
200.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,218 MX$21.4K
$537 BGN 893
126.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,885 MX$68.1K
$1,367 BGN 2,275
184.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,033 MX$35.7K
$1,129 BGN 1,878
80.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,038 MX$18.2K
$939 BGN 1,563
10.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
5.1
122.35%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sunny Beach: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $598 in Sunny Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $42.00 in Sunny Beach for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $256 per month, with Sunny Beach cheaper across the board.

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
Mexico City vs Sunny Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Sunny Beach?
Mexico City and Sunny Beach differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,111 including rent). Sunny Beach is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Sunny Beach?
Average pay runs 10% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Sunny Beach?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $598 in Sunny Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Sunny Beach?
A monthly transit pass in Sunny Beach runs roughly 45% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Sunny Beach?
Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $328 in Sunny Beach. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,111 in Sunny Beach versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sunny Beach but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sunny Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Sunny Beach?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Sunny Beach?
Expats usually find Sunny Beach gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities