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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $618 per month in Abalessa vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $989 per month in Abalessa vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,360 per month in Abalessa vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Abalessa is about 52% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Abalessa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Abalessa 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.22 DZD 426

$11.94 MX$209

-73.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.30 DZD 3,087

$42.75 MX$748

-45.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.86 DZD 512

$10.59 MX$185

-63.55%

Cappuccino

$0.73 DZD 96.1

$3.62 MX$63.4

-79.83%

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

$0.61 DZD 80.6

$1.47 MX$25.69

-58.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.74

$0.94 MX$16.51

-77.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 DZD 256

$3.09 MX$54.1

-37.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 DZD 312

$4.46 MX$78.0

-47.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 DZD 137

$1.43 MX$24.94

-27.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 17.48

$1.88 MX$32.97

-93.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 DZD 208

$1.63 MX$28.50

-3.68%

Eggs

$1.87 DZD 248

$2.64 MX$46.26

-29.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 DZD 1,204

$8.21 MX$144

10.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 DZD 683

$8.29 MX$145

-37.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.27 DZD 2,156

$11.10 MX$194

46.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 DZD 420

$2.65 MX$46.40

19.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 DZD 380

$1.50 MX$26.26

91.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 DZD 229

$1.99 MX$34.79

-13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 DZD 107

$2.08 MX$36.33

-61.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 DZD 77.6

$1.79 MX$31.29

-67.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 DZD 61.3

$2.18 MX$38.09

-78.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 DZD 79.4

$1.08 MX$18.84

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.87

$1.04 MX$18.15

-73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 DZD 371

$3.97 MX$69.5

-29.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.03 DZD 931

$10.20 MX$179

-31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 DZD 178

$1.73 MX$30.22

-21.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 DZD 278

$2.50 MX$43.71

-16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.18

$0.52 MX$9.07

-51.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.12 DZD 2,268

$26.97 MX$472

-36.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 DZD 85.9

$3.14 MX$55.0

-79.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.89

$2.40 MX$42.04

-85.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 DZD 685

$3.09 MX$54.0

67.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 DZD 44.73

$1.27 MX$22.28

-73.23%

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

$32.4K DZD 4.3M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

5.01%

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

$33.3K DZD 4.4M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

42.71%

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

$40.19 DZD 5,325

$82.0 MX$1,435

-50.99%

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

$9.33 DZD 1,236

$22.45 MX$393

-58.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.20 DZD 2,279

$29.66 MX$519

-42.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.35 DZD 3,094

$51.9 MX$908

-54.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 DZD 710

$4.97 MX$87.0

7.85%

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

$94.8 DZD 12.6K

$198 MX$3,462

-52.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,557 DZD 471.3K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-32.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.23 DZD 4,801

$36.34 MX$636

-0.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 DZD 5,936

$40.05 MX$701

11.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 DZD 9,797

$79.9 MX$1,398

-7.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 DZD 10.2K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 DZD 25.6K

$963 MX$16.9K

-79.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 DZD 15.4K

$465 MX$8,133

-74.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 DZD 36.6K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-82.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 DZD 24.0K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-85.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

11.42

-52.54%

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

Last update for Abalessa: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $193 in Abalessa versus $963 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Abalessa versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $251 – making Abalessa 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

Abalessa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 108% more than Abalessa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $926 per month in Abalessa and $1,930 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 Abalessa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Abalessa and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abalessa, where all-in costs run around $618, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Abalessa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abalessa costs $618 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Abalessa. 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.