Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sunny Beach

For one person, living is cheaper in Sunny Beach: $1,038 a month against $1,567 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,567
/mo nomad
Sunny Beach
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,038
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Sunny Beach

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Sunny Beach actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,567 in Mexico City versus $1,038 in Sunny Beach.

  • Mexico City $1,567
  • Sunny Beach $1,038

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,450 in Mexico City versus $1,578 in Sunny Beach.

  • Mexico City $2,450
  • Sunny Beach $1,578

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,333 in Mexico City versus $2,117 in Sunny Beach.

  • Mexico City $3,333
  • Sunny Beach $2,117

Living in Mexico City is roughly 51% more expensive than in Sunny Beach, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 16% above, Sunny Beach is 23% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.75 MX$199
$8.39 BGN 14.59
28.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.3 MX$929
$44.87 BGN 78.1
11.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.10 MX$205
$9.63 BGN 16.75
15.26%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$2.86 BGN 4.98
28.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 MX$30.42
$1.74 BGN 3.02
-5.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.08
$1.56 BGN 2.71
-16.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.32 MX$61.3
$2.31 BGN 4.03
43.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.54 MX$102
$1.73 BGN 3.02
220.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.77 MX$32.68
$1.76 BGN 3.06
0.57%
White Bread (500g)
$3.05 MX$56.4
$0.75 BGN 1.30
306.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.01 MX$37.20
$2.18 BGN 3.79
-7.80%
Eggs
$2.77 MX$51.1
$3.69 BGN 6.42
-24.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.91 MX$220
$8.40 BGN 14.61
41.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.33 MX$172
$8.56 BGN 14.90
9.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.02 MX$278
$14.28 BGN 24.85
5.18%
Apples (1kg)
$3.08 MX$56.8
$1.70 BGN 2.95
81.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 MX$35.97
$1.77 BGN 3.08
10.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.54
$1.91 BGN 3.32
6.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.21 MX$40.92
$2.63 BGN 4.57
-15.97%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.41
$1.07 BGN 1.87
88.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 MX$33.67
$1.05 BGN 1.83
73.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 MX$28.07
$1.16 BGN 2.02
31.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.65
$0.71 BGN 1.24
80.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.27 MX$97.4
$4.10 BGN 7.13
28.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.12 MX$298
$6.27 BGN 10.92
157.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 MX$36.05
$1.13 BGN 1.96
72.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$78.6
$2.06 BGN 3.58
106.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.82
$1.13 BGN 1.97
-72.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.85 MX$367
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.93
$1.27 BGN 2.21
57.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.86
$0.65 BGN 1.12
-18.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.62 MX$104
$10.32 BGN 17.96
-45.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.07
$1.58 BGN 2.75
-3.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K MX$388.7K
$29.6K BGN 51.5K
-28.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K MX$465.3K
$24.4K BGN 42.5K
3.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.5 MX$1,155
$114 BGN 199
-45.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.77 MX$532
$18.46 BGN 32.12
55.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.45 MX$637
$15.66 BGN 27.25
119.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,055
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.81 MX$458
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.67 MX$123
$8.90 BGN 15.48
-25.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$431 MX$7,964
$519 BGN 902
-16.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.7K MX$216.9K
$5,550 BGN 9,658
111.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.8 MX$1,308
$33.86 BGN 58.9
109.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.8 MX$958
$41.32 BGN 71.9
25.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 MX$2,011
$95.8 BGN 167
13.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 MX$2,076
$103 BGN 180
8.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,051 MX$19.4K
$565 BGN 984
85.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 MX$12.3K
$341 BGN 593
95.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,346 MX$43.3K
$679 BGN 1,181
245.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,227 MX$22.7K
$513 BGN 893
138.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,554 MX$65.7K
$1,328 BGN 2,310
167.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,977 MX$36.5K
$1,135 BGN 1,976
74.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Sunny Beach
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$975 MX$18.0K
$920 BGN 1,601
5.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
3.1
264.52%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Last update for Sunny Beach: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$665
Sunny Beach
$341 48.7% $324
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$323
Sunny Beach
$240 25.6% $83
Eating Out
Mexico City
$203
Sunny Beach
$159 21.9% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$155
Sunny Beach
$123 20.2% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Sunny Beach
$148 18% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Sunny Beach
$18 * 74.7% $53
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Sunny Beach
$9 * 65% $17

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,051 in Mexico City and $565 in Sunny Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 6% 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: $50.0 in Mexico City vs $45.00 in Sunny Beach for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $240 per month, with Sunny Beach cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇧🇬 Sunny Beach
🕒 Local time
09:22 9:22 AM
18:22 6:22 PM
9 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
13,347
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Sunny Beach 11,230 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Sunny Beach

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
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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,567 vs $1,038 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 6% 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: $1,051 in Mexico City versus $565 in Sunny Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Sunny Beach?
Childcare runs $431 in Mexico City versus $519 in Sunny Beach. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Sunny Beach – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $50.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,038 in Sunny Beach versus $1,567 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 51% 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

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?