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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $919 in Silistra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,364 in Silistra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,809 in Silistra, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 37% more than Silistra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Silistra are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Silistra 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$10.72 BGN 17.83

11.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$25.59 BGN 42.57

63.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$9.00 BGN 14.97

19.44%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.72 BGN 2.87

103.49%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.17 BGN 1.94

23.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.65 BGN 1.08

35.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.94 BGN 3.23

52.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.72 BGN 4.53

65.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.63 BGN 2.71

-12.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.95 BGN 1.58

93.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.87 BGN 3.12

-16.04%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.31 BGN 5.50

-24.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.17 BGN 15.26

-9.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.88 BGN 13.11

6.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.53 BGN 19.17

-7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.93 BGN 3.22

35.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.12 BGN 3.52

-32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-2.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.51 BGN 4.18

-16.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.46 BGN 2.42

26.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.35 BGN 2.25

60.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.05 BGN 1.74

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.83 BGN 1.38

28.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.63 BGN 6.03

12.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.19 BGN 8.64

95.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.94 BGN 1.56

78.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.73 BGN 2.88

46.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.62 BGN 1.03

-17.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$26.41 BGN 43.94

-1.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.20 BGN 1.99

169.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.71 BGN 1.18

239.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.05 BGN 10.06

-46.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.46 BGN 2.43

-9.59%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

-8.54%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.6K BGN 42.5K

-7.47%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$94.8 BGN 158

-13.46%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$16.72 BGN 27.82

37.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$14.08 BGN 23.42

113.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$31.80 BGN 52.9

63.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$14.54 BGN 24.19

27.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.12 BGN 11.84

-30.06%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$233 BGN 388

-15.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,159 BGN 6,919

28.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$59.6 BGN 99.1

-40.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.12 BGN 48.45

38.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$71.5 BGN 119

10.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$72.0 BGN 120

23.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$235 BGN 391

303.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$210 BGN 349

126.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$339 BGN 564

384.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$258 BGN 430

368.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,389 BGN 2,311

191.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$972 BGN 1,617

565.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$735 BGN 1,223

-11.07%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Silistra: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $235 in Silistra. 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 12% higher in Silistra, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Silistra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $231 – making Silistra 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 Silistra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,379 in Silistra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Silistra, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $919 in Silistra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Silistra. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Silistra, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Silistra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Silistra – 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 Silistra. 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.