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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $763 in Sliven, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,234 in Sliven, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,706 in Sliven, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 65% more than Sliven, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sliven are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sliven 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$8.96 BGN 14.91

33.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$35.15 BGN 58.5

18.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$8.81 BGN 14.65

22.02%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.93 BGN 3.20

81.35%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.32 BGN 2.20

9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.88 BGN 1.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.82 BGN 3.02

62.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.34 BGN 3.89

92.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.57 BGN 2.61

-8.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.84 BGN 1.40

119.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$2.19 BGN 3.65

-28.31%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.25 BGN 3.74

11.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$8.02 BGN 13.35

3.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.49 BGN 9.13

53.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.96 BGN 11.59

53.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.49 BGN 2.48

75.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.70 BGN 2.83

-15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.43 BGN 2.37

37.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$2.21 BGN 3.68

-5.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.52 BGN 0.87

255.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.89 BGN 1.48

143.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.05 BGN 1.75

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.49 BGN 0.81

118.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$3.60 BGN 5.98

13.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$6.08 BGN 10.12

67.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.07 BGN 1.78

57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.28 BGN 2.14

97.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.69 BGN 1.14

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$36.52 BGN 60.8

-28.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.15 BGN 1.91

180.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.74 BGN 1.23

225.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$8.59 BGN 14.29

-62.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.50 BGN 2.49

-12.00%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$32.7K BGN 54.5K

-9.32%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$28.0K BGN 46.5K

-15.43%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$86.8 BGN 144

-5.51%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$17.78 BGN 29.57

29.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$9.46 BGN 15.73

218.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$23.71 BGN 39.44

119.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$14.85 BGN 24.71

24.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$5.95 BGN 9.89

-16.30%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$430 BGN 715

-54.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$7,076 BGN 11.8K

-24.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$58.9 BGN 98.0

-39.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$23.14 BGN 38.50

74.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$71.2 BGN 118

10.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$62.2 BGN 104

42.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$239 BGN 398

295.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$145 BGN 241

226.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$340 BGN 565

384.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$267 BGN 444

353.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,159 BGN 1,929

249.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$954 BGN 1,587

578.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$1,329 BGN 2,211

-50.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.25

168.71%

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 Sliven: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $239 in Sliven. 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 103% higher in Sliven, 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 $35.00 in Sliven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $182 – making Sliven 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 Sliven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 65%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,144 in Sliven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sliven, 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 $763 in Sliven. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Sliven. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sliven, where all-in costs run around $763, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Sliven it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sliven – 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 Sliven. 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.