Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Varna Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Varna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,223 in Varna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,849 in Varna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,476 in Varna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 3% more than Varna, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Varna are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Varna 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$11.69 BGN 19.45

0.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$47.30 BGN 78.7

-11.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$9.07 BGN 15.09

15.88%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.47 BGN 4.12

45.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.73 BGN 2.87

-12.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$1.32 BGN 2.19

-30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.89 BGN 4.80

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.93 BGN 4.88

50.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.79 BGN 2.98

-21.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.03 BGN 1.71

82.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$2.44 BGN 4.05

-36.07%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$3.44 BGN 5.73

-24.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$10.79 BGN 17.95

-22.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$8.10 BGN 13.47

3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$12.26 BGN 20.40

-11.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.69 BGN 2.80

60.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.04 BGN 3.40

-25.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.87 BGN 3.10

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$2.73 BGN 4.54

-19.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.20 BGN 2.00

55.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.14 BGN 1.89

95.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.00 BGN 1.66

7.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.74 BGN 1.23

47.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$3.74 BGN 6.22

12.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$8.68 BGN 14.44

20.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.11 BGN 1.85

49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.91 BGN 3.18

36.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$1.16 BGN 1.93

-53.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$29.23 BGN 48.62

-10.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.35 BGN 2.25

128.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.72 BGN 1.19

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$12.42 BGN 20.67

-74.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.50 BGN 2.50

-12.67%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$32.3K BGN 53.8K

-7.84%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$29.5K BGN 49.1K

-20.95%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$124 BGN 207

-34.69%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$18.60 BGN 30.94

21.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$15.89 BGN 26.43

89.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$41.68 BGN 69.3

26.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$14.85 BGN 24.70

23.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$8.94 BGN 14.87

-44.97%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$413 BGN 687

-51.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$5,503 BGN 9,156

-5.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$60.4 BGN 100

-40.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$33.21 BGN 55.3

20.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$92.6 BGN 154

-13.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$102 BGN 170

-15.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$510 BGN 848

91.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$389 BGN 647

20.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$893 BGN 1,485

84.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$650 BGN 1,082

85.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$3,269 BGN 5,438

20.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$2,167 BGN 3,606

204.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$1,207 BGN 2,008

-43.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.71

142.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Varna: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $510 in Varna. 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 78% higher in Varna, 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 $47.00 in Varna. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $249 in Varna – so Varna 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 Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,834 in Varna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varna, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,223 in Varna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Varna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Varna, where all-in costs run around $1,223, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Varna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Varna – 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 Varna. 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.