Cost of Living Comparison Between Sunny Beach and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sunny Beach and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Sunny Beach is about 16% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.41 BGN 13.99

$11.71 MX$198

-28.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.69 BGN 79.3

$46.59 MX$788

2.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.04 BGN 16.71

$11.65 MX$197

-13.82%

Cappuccino

$2.90 BGN 4.82

$4.09 MX$69.2

-29.10%

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

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.37 MX$23.23

28.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 BGN 2.64

$0.83 MX$14.09

91.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 BGN 3.98

$3.35 MX$56.7

-28.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 BGN 2.92

$6.91 MX$117

-74.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 BGN 2.99

$1.73 MX$29.20

4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 BGN 1.38

$2.26 MX$38.21

-63.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 BGN 3.80

$1.77 MX$29.91

29.38%

Eggs

$3.88 BGN 6.45

$2.73 MX$46.19

42.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 BGN 14.70

$9.18 MX$155

-3.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.77 BGN 14.58

$8.92 MX$151

-1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 BGN 24.21

$12.60 MX$213

15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 BGN 2.97

$3.02 MX$51.1

-41.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.12

$1.57 MX$26.55

19.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 BGN 3.45

$2.13 MX$35.93

-2.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 BGN 4.37

$2.26 MX$38.28

16.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 BGN 1.88

$2.00 MX$33.88

-43.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.87

$2.06 MX$34.90

-45.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BGN 1.25

$1.20 MX$20.35

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 BGN 6.74

$4.63 MX$78.4

-12.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 BGN 10.49

$10.69 MX$181

-40.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 BGN 2.03

$1.62 MX$27.38

-24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 BGN 3.40

$2.88 MX$48.70

-28.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 BGN 1.94

$0.57 MX$9.69

103.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 BGN 2.21

$5.45 MX$92.1

-75.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 BGN 1.06

$3.70 MX$62.6

-82.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.88 BGN 18.11

$5.98 MX$101

81.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 BGN 2.64

$1.55 MX$26.26

2.58%

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

$31.1K BGN 51.8K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

39.51%

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

$25.2K BGN 42.0K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-2.73%

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

$117 BGN 195

$89.1 MX$1,507

31.82%

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

$19.67 BGN 32.73

$25.04 MX$423

-21.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.78 BGN 26.26

$31.50 MX$532

-49.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$9.42 BGN 15.67

$5.05 MX$85.4

86.53%

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

$541 BGN 899

$225 MX$3,803

140.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,768 BGN 9,595

$4,222 MX$71.4K

36.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.75 BGN 57.8

$47.44 MX$802

-26.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 BGN 72.4

$44.98 MX$760

-3.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 BGN 164

$82.0 MX$1,386

20.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 BGN 179

$92.1 MX$1,557

16.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$600 BGN 999

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-43.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 BGN 602

$405 MX$6,852

-10.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$708 BGN 1,177

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-63.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 BGN 903

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-58.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,397 BGN 2,325

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-65.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,168 BGN 1,943

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-82.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$962 BGN 1,600

$749 MX$12.7K

28.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

11.45

-72.93%

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

Last update for Sunny Beach: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $600 in Sunny Beach versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $48.00 in Sunny Beach versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Sunny Beach vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – 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

Sunny Beach vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $1,621 per month in Sunny Beach and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,081 in Sunny Beach and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $541 per month in Sunny Beach and $225 in Playa del Carmen. 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.