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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $761 in Sliven, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,207 in Sliven, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,653 in Sliven, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than Sliven, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sliven are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sliven 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.77 BGN 14.59

33.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$35.75 BGN 59.5

16.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.71 BGN 14.49

22.16%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.84 BGN 3.06

91.30%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.27 BGN 2.11

18.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.91 BGN 1.51

6.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.74 BGN 2.90

69.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.29 BGN 3.81

94.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.59 BGN 2.64

-13.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.80 BGN 1.33

136.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.21 BGN 3.68

-25.79%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.15 BGN 3.57

16.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.08 BGN 13.44

3.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.51 BGN 9.16

51.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.94 BGN 11.54

54.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.45 BGN 2.40

79.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.72 BGN 2.86

-15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.48 BGN 2.47

28.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.26 BGN 3.75

-7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.51 BGN 0.85

249.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.90 BGN 1.51

143.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.05 BGN 1.74

-0.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.48 BGN 0.79

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.53 BGN 5.87

15.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.20 BGN 10.31

66.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.04 BGN 1.74

64.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.27 BGN 2.12

103.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.74 BGN 1.23

-31.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$36.12 BGN 60.1

-26.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.16 BGN 1.94

181.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.77 BGN 1.29

223.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$8.96 BGN 14.90

-63.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.43 BGN 2.37

-8.39%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

-5.21%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$27.8K BGN 46.2K

-15.70%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$89.0 BGN 148

-6.89%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$17.99 BGN 29.94

23.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$9.21 BGN 15.33

218.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$23.18 BGN 38.57

122.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.92 BGN 24.82

22.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.03 BGN 10.04

-15.92%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$422 BGN 703

-52.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,038 BGN 11.7K

-25.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$60.0 BGN 99.8

-38.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$23.21 BGN 38.62

71.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$69.6 BGN 116

12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$64.6 BGN 107

34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$233 BGN 387

318.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$150 BGN 249

212.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$336 BGN 559

388.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$269 BGN 447

354.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,181 BGN 1,965

234.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$965 BGN 1,605

573.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,395 BGN 2,320

-52.40%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sliven: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $233 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 110% 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 $36.00 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 70%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,141 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $761 in Sliven. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% 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 $761, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.