Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sunny Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sunny Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,111 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,671 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,230 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 13% more than Sunny Beach, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sunny Beach are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sunny Beach 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$8.10 BGN 13.47

48.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$41.93 BGN 69.8

-0.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$10.02 BGN 16.67

7.29%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.90 BGN 3.16

84.21%

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

$1.05 BGN 1.75

-16.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.80 BGN 2.99

63.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.82 BGN 3.03

147.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.04 BGN 3.39

-29.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.62 BGN 1.03

196.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$2.76 BGN 4.60

-43.12%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$3.92 BGN 6.52

-35.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$13.00 BGN 21.62

-36.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$8.33 BGN 13.86

1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$12.74 BGN 21.19

-16.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.60 BGN 2.66

63.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.20 BGN 3.65

-34.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.75 BGN 2.91

12.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$2.74 BGN 4.56

-23.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.19 BGN 1.98

55.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.36 BGN 2.26

59.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.22 BGN 2.04

-15.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.79 BGN 1.32

35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$3.70 BGN 6.15

10.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$5.96 BGN 9.91

70.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.19 BGN 1.98

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.70 BGN 2.82

48.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$1.20 BGN 1.99

-57.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$27.06 BGN 45.01

-3.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.16 BGN 1.93

178.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.61 BGN 1.01

295.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$12.03 BGN 20.01

-73.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.48 BGN 2.47

-10.81%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$37.5K BGN 62.3K

-20.74%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$34.5K BGN 57.4K

-31.40%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$117 BGN 195

-30.10%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$17.33 BGN 28.84

32.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$13.38 BGN 22.26

125.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$29.54 BGN 49.14

75.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$14.59 BGN 24.27

27.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.88 BGN 11.44

-27.62%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$328 BGN 545

-39.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$5,492 BGN 9,136

-2.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$34.40 BGN 57.2

3.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$29.72 BGN 49.43

35.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$125 BGN 209

-37.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$77.9 BGN 130

14.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$598 BGN 995

58.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$361 BGN 600

31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$701 BGN 1,166

134.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$537 BGN 893

125.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,367 BGN 2,275

196.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,129 BGN 1,878

473.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$939 BGN 1,563

-30.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.1

123.92%

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 Sunny Beach: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $598 in Sunny Beach. 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 44% higher in Sunny Beach, 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 $42.00 in Sunny Beach. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $256 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Sunny Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,666 in Sunny Beach. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sunny Beach, 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 $1,111 in Sunny Beach. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Sunny Beach. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sunny Beach, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Sunny Beach it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sunny Beach – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sunny Beach. 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.