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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,094 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,685 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,276 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% 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 3% lower, Sunny Beach 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.07 BGN 13.42

45.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$40.91 BGN 68.1

1.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.97 BGN 16.58

6.72%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.97 BGN 3.27

78.68%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.30 BGN 2.17

16.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.05 BGN 1.74

-7.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.80 BGN 2.99

63.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.73 BGN 2.88

157.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.96 BGN 3.26

-29.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.57 BGN 0.95

231.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.78 BGN 4.63

-41.01%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.89 BGN 6.47

-35.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$13.17 BGN 21.91

-36.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.20 BGN 13.63

1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.74 BGN 21.19

-15.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.66 BGN 2.77

56.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.18 BGN 3.62

-33.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.74 BGN 2.89

9.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.88 BGN 4.79

-27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.17 BGN 1.94

52.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.44 BGN 2.39

52.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.22 BGN 2.03

-14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.72 BGN 1.20

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.73 BGN 6.20

9.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.94 BGN 9.88

73.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.15 BGN 1.91

48.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.69 BGN 2.81

52.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.15 BGN 1.92

-55.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$26.89 BGN 44.73

-1.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.17 BGN 1.94

178.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.65 BGN 1.08

283.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$11.61 BGN 19.31

-72.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.54 BGN 2.55

-14.94%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$37.3K BGN 62.0K

-18.75%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$34.9K BGN 58.0K

-32.79%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$121 BGN 201

-31.48%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$17.44 BGN 29.01

27.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$13.50 BGN 22.46

117.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$29.54 BGN 49.15

74.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.91 BGN 24.80

22.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$7.20 BGN 11.98

-29.58%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$327 BGN 545

-38.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,399 BGN 8,982

-3.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$35.17 BGN 58.5

4.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$28.93 BGN 48.12

37.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$126 BGN 209

-37.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$78.2 BGN 130

11.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$595 BGN 989

63.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$350 BGN 582

33.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$719 BGN 1,196

128.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$539 BGN 897

126.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,394 BGN 2,320

182.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,168 BGN 1,944

456.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$954 BGN 1,586

-30.37%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sunny Beach: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $595 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 $41.00 in Sunny Beach. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $254 in Sunny Beach – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 19%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,641 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,094 in Sunny Beach. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% 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 $1,094, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.