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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,081 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,619 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,157 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Sunny Beach, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sunny Beach are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sunny Beach 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$8.41 BGN 13.99

39.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$47.69 BGN 79.3

-2.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$10.04 BGN 16.71

16.04%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.90 BGN 4.82

41.03%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.76 BGN 2.93

-22.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.59 BGN 2.64

-47.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.39 BGN 3.98

40.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.76 BGN 2.92

292.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.80 BGN 2.99

-3.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.83 BGN 1.38

172.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.29 BGN 3.80

-22.71%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$3.88 BGN 6.45

-29.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$8.84 BGN 14.70

3.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$8.77 BGN 14.58

1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$14.56 BGN 24.21

-13.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.78 BGN 2.97

69.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.87 BGN 3.12

-16.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$2.07 BGN 3.45

2.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$2.63 BGN 4.37

-14.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.13 BGN 1.88

76.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.12 BGN 1.87

83.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.18 BGN 1.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.75 BGN 1.25

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$4.05 BGN 6.74

14.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$6.31 BGN 10.49

69.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.22 BGN 2.03

32.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.05 BGN 3.40

40.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.16 BGN 1.94

-50.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.33 BGN 2.21

309.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.63 BGN 1.06

487.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$10.88 BGN 18.11

-45.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.59 BGN 2.64

-2.52%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$31.1K BGN 51.8K

-28.32%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$25.2K BGN 42.0K

2.81%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$117 BGN 195

-24.14%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$19.67 BGN 32.73

27.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$15.78 BGN 26.26

99.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$9.42 BGN 15.67

-46.39%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$541 BGN 899

-58.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$5,768 BGN 9,595

-26.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$34.75 BGN 57.8

36.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$43.51 BGN 72.4

3.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$98.4 BGN 164

-16.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$108 BGN 179

-14.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$600 BGN 999

78.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$362 BGN 602

11.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$708 BGN 1,177

173.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$543 BGN 903

139.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,397 BGN 2,325

185.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,168 BGN 1,943

467.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$962 BGN 1,600

-22.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.1

269.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Sunny Beach: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $600 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 28% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Sunny Beach. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $249 in Sunny Beach – so Sunny Beach 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 20%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,621 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,081 in Sunny Beach. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $541 in Sunny Beach. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sunny Beach, where all-in costs run around $1,081, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.