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 $603 per month in Abalessa vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $976 per month in Abalessa vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,349 per month in Abalessa vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Abalessa is about 53% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Abalessa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Abalessa 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 DZD 418

$11.87 MX$204

-73.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.02 DZD 3,184

$42.90 MX$736

-44.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 DZD 521

$10.65 MX$183

-63.10%

Cappuccino

$0.72 DZD 95.6

$3.45 MX$59.2

-79.13%

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

$0.61 DZD 81.1

$1.50 MX$25.81

-59.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.83

$0.95 MX$16.28

-77.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 DZD 263

$3.03 MX$51.9

-34.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 DZD 318

$4.61 MX$79.1

-47.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 DZD 132

$1.38 MX$23.61

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 DZD 19.83

$1.85 MX$31.70

-91.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 DZD 208

$1.61 MX$27.65

-2.48%

Eggs

$1.87 DZD 248

$2.59 MX$44.51

-27.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 DZD 1,220

$8.26 MX$142

11.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 DZD 706

$8.37 MX$144

-36.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.59 DZD 2,199

$10.66 MX$183

55.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 DZD 428

$2.63 MX$45.12

22.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 DZD 373

$1.49 MX$25.53

89.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 DZD 227

$1.92 MX$32.94

-10.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 DZD 106

$2.09 MX$35.81

-61.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 DZD 72.7

$1.86 MX$31.88

-70.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 DZD 65.5

$2.26 MX$38.81

-78.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 DZD 81.8

$1.06 MX$18.23

-41.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 40.09

$1.09 MX$18.67

-72.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 DZD 367

$4.15 MX$71.2

-33.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 DZD 945

$10.39 MX$178

-31.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 DZD 178

$1.72 MX$29.59

-22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 DZD 288

$2.61 MX$44.85

-16.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 DZD 30.29

$0.54 MX$9.30

-57.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.66 DZD 2,340

$26.94 MX$462

-34.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 DZD 93.9

$3.13 MX$53.7

-77.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.90

$2.51 MX$43.09

-86.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 DZD 687

$3.15 MX$54.1

64.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 DZD 45.04

$1.27 MX$21.88

-73.23%

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

$32.1K DZD 4.3M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

5.59%

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

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

41.88%

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

$40.75 DZD 5,401

$83.0 MX$1,425

-50.90%

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

$9.56 DZD 1,267

$22.71 MX$390

-57.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.12 DZD 2,269

$29.46 MX$506

-41.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.47 DZD 3,111

$51.0 MX$875

-53.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$5.44 DZD 721

$4.93 MX$84.5

10.34%

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

$94.9 DZD 12.6K

$197 MX$3,386

-51.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,616 DZD 479.2K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-31.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.47 DZD 4,966

$36.90 MX$633

1.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 DZD 5,937

$39.89 MX$685

12.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 DZD 9,962

$80.0 MX$1,373

-6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 DZD 10.4K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 DZD 25.7K

$956 MX$16.4K

-79.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 DZD 15.3K

$477 MX$8,189

-75.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 DZD 36.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-83.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 DZD 24.3K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-85.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,113 DZD 147.5K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-71.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,094 DZD 145.0K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-83.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Abalessa versus $956 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 $24.00 in Abalessa versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $250 – 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 111% 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 $904 per month in Abalessa and $1,906 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 21% 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 $24.00 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 $603, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $603 versus $1,271 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.