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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,441 in Varna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,310 in Varna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,179 in Varna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 12% cheaper than Varna, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Varna is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$14.06 BGN 23.39

-17.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$60.4 BGN 101

-22.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.73 BGN 17.85

10.72%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.93 BGN 4.88

35.84%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.88 BGN 3.12

-23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.65 BGN 2.75

-50.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.01 BGN 5.00

5.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.77 BGN 6.27

80.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.95 BGN 3.24

-13.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.25 BGN 2.07

76.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.76 BGN 4.59

-38.04%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.61 BGN 6.00

-24.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.70 BGN 19.47

-18.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.25 BGN 15.38

-2.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.84 BGN 24.69

-13.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.97 BGN 3.27

46.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.16 BGN 3.60

-30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.29 BGN 3.81

-6.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.17 BGN 5.27

-28.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.35 BGN 2.24

46.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.13 BGN 1.87

76.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.05 BGN 1.75

17.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.78 BGN 1.30

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.11 BGN 6.83

10.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.85 BGN 14.72

17.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.21 BGN 2.01

33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.83 BGN 3.05

57.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.06 BGN 1.77

-43.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$30.00 BGN 49.90

-4.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.65 BGN 2.75

226.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.88 BGN 1.46

323.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$12.56 BGN 20.90

-54.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.74 BGN 2.89

-11.49%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$30.8K BGN 51.3K

-26.86%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$26.3K BGN 43.8K

-0.94%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$179 BGN 298

-48.92%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$21.16 BGN 35.21

19.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$17.42 BGN 28.98

79.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$53.5 BGN 89.1

25.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$20.73 BGN 34.49

40.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$8.98 BGN 14.95

-45.88%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$517 BGN 859

-56.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$6,405 BGN 10.7K

-33.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$66.2 BGN 110

-28.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$35.07 BGN 58.3

26.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$105 BGN 174

-23.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$105 BGN 175

-11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$649 BGN 1,080

63.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$487 BGN 809

-19.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,360 BGN 2,263

58.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$933 BGN 1,552

36.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$3,250 BGN 5,407

23.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,145 BGN 3,569

203.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,272 BGN 2,116

-40.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.9

294.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Varna: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $649 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 68% higher in Varna, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $60.0 in Varna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $278 – 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 Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varna is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,162 in Varna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,441 in Varna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Varna at $1,441. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Varna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.