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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $814 in Sliven, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,284 in Sliven, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,754 in Sliven, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 60% more than Sliven, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sliven are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sliven 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$11.94 BGN 19.86

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$801

$35.86 BGN 59.7

32.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$10.48 BGN 17.43

12.12%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.7

$1.93 BGN 3.21

113.47%

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

$1.40 MX$23.66

$1.28 BGN 2.12

9.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.43

$0.91 BGN 1.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.2

$1.74 BGN 2.89

84.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.32 BGN 3.86

204.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.35

$1.59 BGN 2.65

5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.36

$0.79 BGN 1.32

172.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.00

$2.81 BGN 4.68

-37.01%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.60

$2.24 BGN 3.73

25.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.08 BGN 13.44

13.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$5.58 BGN 9.29

65.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$6.66 BGN 11.08

89.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.90

$1.53 BGN 2.55

92.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.70

$1.66 BGN 2.77

-4.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.58

$1.45 BGN 2.41

53.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.96

$2.20 BGN 3.66

7.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.70

$0.51 BGN 0.85

290.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.47

$0.86 BGN 1.43

130.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.97

$1.09 BGN 1.81

13.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.48

$0.49 BGN 0.81

146.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.8

$3.64 BGN 6.05

26.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.36 BGN 10.59

65.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.60

$1.10 BGN 1.83

53.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.91

$1.35 BGN 2.24

105.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.19

$0.68 BGN 1.13

-11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

$37.20 BGN 61.9

-20.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.5

$1.21 BGN 2.02

333.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.7

$0.60 BGN 1.00

508.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.8

$8.66 BGN 14.41

-33.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.01

$1.55 BGN 2.57

-0.65%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$30.8K BGN 51.2K

-25.92%

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

$25.8K MX$436.5K

$23.3K BGN 38.7K

10.89%

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

$90.7 MX$1,533

$87.8 BGN 146

3.33%

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

$25.19 MX$426

$21.17 BGN 35.21

18.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$537

$9.25 BGN 15.39

243.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,163

$24.00 BGN 39.93

186.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$497

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.2

$5.97 BGN 9.92

-18.59%

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

$226 MX$3,816

$529 BGN 880

-57.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.9K

$6,434 BGN 10.7K

-34.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$801

$58.8 BGN 97.8

-19.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$735

$24.13 BGN 40.14

80.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,356

$71.5 BGN 119

12.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,545

$64.8 BGN 108

41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$235 BGN 392

361.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,910

$146 BGN 243

180.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$340 BGN 565

480.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$269 BGN 447

376.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.4K

$1,174 BGN 1,954

244.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.4K

$966 BGN 1,607

593.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,383 BGN 2,301

-44.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.87

298.95%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sliven: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $235 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 79% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Sliven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $185 – 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 60%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,221 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $814 in Sliven. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% 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 $814, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.