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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,197 in Varna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,871 in Varna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,545 in Varna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Varna, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Varna are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Varna 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$11.83 BGN 19.76

0.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$48.05 BGN 80.2

-11.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$9.08 BGN 15.17

16.63%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.52 BGN 4.21

43.65%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.75 BGN 2.92

-16.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$1.34 BGN 2.23

-29.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$3.02 BGN 5.04

2.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.88 BGN 4.81

54.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.87 BGN 3.12

-23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.08 BGN 1.80

74.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$2.54 BGN 4.24

-35.83%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.32 BGN 5.54

-20.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$10.96 BGN 18.31

-25.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$8.13 BGN 13.57

1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$12.21 BGN 20.40

-9.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.67 BGN 2.79

58.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$2.04 BGN 3.40

-26.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.80 BGN 3.00

10.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$2.68 BGN 4.48

-22.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.15 BGN 1.92

55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.14 BGN 1.91

91.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.04 BGN 1.73

3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.74 BGN 1.24

40.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$3.85 BGN 6.42

3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$7.64 BGN 12.75

33.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.11 BGN 1.85

55.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.84 BGN 3.07

35.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$1.15 BGN 1.91

-54.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$29.53 BGN 49.32

-8.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.35 BGN 2.25

132.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.67 BGN 1.11

258.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$12.27 BGN 20.49

-74.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.54 BGN 2.57

-17.53%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$32.9K BGN 54.9K

-6.03%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$28.8K BGN 48.2K

-19.16%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$124 BGN 207

-33.69%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$18.70 BGN 31.23

20.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$15.83 BGN 26.43

87.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$40.64 BGN 67.9

27.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$14.50 BGN 24.21

28.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$8.61 BGN 14.37

-42.28%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$412 BGN 688

-51.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$5,541 BGN 9,254

-4.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$62.0 BGN 104

-41.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$33.87 BGN 56.6

18.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$91.6 BGN 153

-12.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$102 BGN 170

-12.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$506 BGN 846

90.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$390 BGN 652

19.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$895 BGN 1,495

78.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$639 BGN 1,067

89.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$3,152 BGN 5,264

25.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$2,018 BGN 3,371

219.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$1,222 BGN 2,040

-41.03%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Varna: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $506 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 70% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Varna. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $248 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 8%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,795 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,197 in Varna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% 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 $1,197, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.