Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Stara Zagora Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Stara Zagora

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $846 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,330 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,814 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than Stara Zagora, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Stara Zagora are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Stara Zagora 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$9.10 BGN 15.13

31.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$35.43 BGN 58.9

17.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$9.16 BGN 15.23

17.36%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.91 BGN 3.18

83.25%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.28 BGN 2.13

13.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.73 BGN 1.22

20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.20 BGN 2.00

145.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.04 BGN 3.40

121.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.90 BGN 3.15

-24.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.82 BGN 1.37

124.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.55 BGN 2.58

1.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.27 BGN 3.78

10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.13 BGN 15.19

-9.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.36 BGN 12.25

14.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.49 BGN 14.12

25.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.37 BGN 2.28

90.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.66 BGN 2.76

-13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.85 BGN 3.08

5.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.16 BGN 3.60

-3.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.01 BGN 1.69

83.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.81 BGN 1.35

167.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.56 BGN 0.93

83.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.71 BGN 1.19

50.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.92 BGN 6.52

4.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.31 BGN 8.84

91.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.23 BGN 2.05

36.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.16 BGN 3.60

17.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.91 BGN 1.51

-43.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$19.02 BGN 31.65

36.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.34 BGN 2.23

141.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.67 BGN 1.12

259.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$11.59 BGN 19.27

-72.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.49 BGN 2.47

-11.41%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.8K BGN 41.3K

19.56%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$17.4K BGN 29.0K

35.70%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$101 BGN 169

-19.17%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$15.19 BGN 25.26

51.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$11.35 BGN 18.88

165.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$19.34 BGN 32.17

168.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$17.37 BGN 28.90

6.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.88 BGN 13.11

-36.80%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$232 BGN 386

-14.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,400 BGN 3,993

122.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$38.78 BGN 64.5

-8.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$19.03 BGN 31.65

111.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$77.9 BGN 130

1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$75.2 BGN 125

18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$248 BGN 413

281.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$226 BGN 376

109.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$399 BGN 664

311.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$356 BGN 592

239.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,497 BGN 2,490

170.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,082 BGN 1,800

498.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,044 BGN 1,737

-37.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.4

235.88%

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 Stara Zagora: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $248 in Stara Zagora. 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 60% higher in Stara Zagora, 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 Stara Zagora. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $204 – making Stara Zagora 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 Stara Zagora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 49%, 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 $1,269 in Stara Zagora. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stara Zagora, 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 $846 in Stara Zagora. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Stara Zagora. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stara Zagora, where all-in costs run around $846, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Stara Zagora it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stara Zagora – 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 Stara Zagora. 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.