Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Shumen Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Shumen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $900 in Shumen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,382 in Shumen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,865 in Shumen, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Shumen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shumen are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Shumen 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$9.51 BGN 15.82

24.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$29.11 BGN 48.42

47.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.73 BGN 14.53

21.99%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.63 BGN 2.71

111.66%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.33 BGN 2.21

12.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.65 BGN 1.08

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.00 BGN 3.33

51.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.32 BGN 3.86

98.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.70 BGN 2.82

-18.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.96 BGN 1.60

92.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.94 BGN 3.23

-17.01%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.02 BGN 5.02

-14.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.18 BGN 15.27

-10.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.80 BGN 9.64

44.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.75 BGN 19.55

-9.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.77 BGN 2.94

48.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.06 BGN 3.43

-27.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.02 BGN 3.36

-4.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.27 BGN 3.77

-7.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.44 BGN 2.39

29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.37 BGN 2.29

64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.92 BGN 1.52

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.74 BGN 1.23

47.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.69 BGN 6.15

12.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.18 BGN 11.95

44.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.00 BGN 1.67

72.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.60 BGN 2.67

63.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.95 BGN 1.59

-43.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$26.38 BGN 43.88

2.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.26 BGN 2.09

148.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.33 BGN 0.55

660.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$13.25 BGN 22.04

-76.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.50 BGN 2.49

-15.33%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$32.5K BGN 54.1K

-6.55%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$26.0K BGN 43.3K

-9.45%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$96.0 BGN 160

-13.52%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$16.63 BGN 27.66

36.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$14.04 BGN 23.35

109.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$40.48 BGN 67.3

25.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$12.02 BGN 20.00

52.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$7.27 BGN 12.10

-32.19%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$238 BGN 397

-17.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$10.5K BGN 17.5K

-49.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$54.2 BGN 90.2

-31.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$41.69 BGN 69.4

-4.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$81.9 BGN 136

-2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$71.7 BGN 119

24.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$280 BGN 465

241.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$194 BGN 322

146.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$509 BGN 846

223.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$328 BGN 546

273.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,266 BGN 2,106

209.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,051 BGN 1,748

514.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,044 BGN 1,737

-36.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.57

149.89%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Shumen: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $280 in Shumen. 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 57% higher in Shumen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Shumen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $221 – making Shumen 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

Playa del Carmen vs Shumen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,350 in Shumen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shumen, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $900 in Shumen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Shumen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shumen, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Shumen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shumen – 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 Shumen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.