Cost of Living Comparison Between Ain Beida and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ain Beida and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $625 per month in Ain Beida vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $985 per month in Ain Beida vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,345 per month in Ain Beida vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ain Beida is about 51% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ain Beida and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ain Beida 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 DZD 416

$11.87 MX$204

-73.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.39 DZD 3,101

$42.90 MX$736

-45.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 DZD 523

$10.65 MX$183

-62.91%

Cappuccino

$0.74 DZD 97.8

$3.45 MX$59.2

-78.55%

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

$0.56 DZD 74.8

$1.50 MX$25.81

-62.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.60

$0.95 MX$16.28

-75.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 DZD 265

$3.03 MX$51.9

-33.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 DZD 307

$4.61 MX$79.1

-49.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 DZD 132

$1.38 MX$23.61

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 17.70

$1.85 MX$31.70

-92.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 DZD 268

$1.61 MX$27.65

25.47%

Eggs

$2.21 DZD 292

$2.59 MX$44.51

-14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.66 DZD 1,810

$8.26 MX$142

65.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 DZD 626

$8.37 MX$144

-43.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 DZD 2,121

$10.66 MX$183

50.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 DZD 425

$2.63 MX$45.12

21.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 DZD 388

$1.49 MX$25.53

96.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 DZD 225

$1.92 MX$32.94

-11.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 DZD 97.2

$2.09 MX$35.81

-65.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 DZD 77.4

$1.86 MX$31.88

-68.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 66.4

$2.26 MX$38.81

-77.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 DZD 80.1

$1.06 MX$18.23

-43.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.86

$1.09 MX$18.67

-74.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 DZD 367

$4.15 MX$71.2

-33.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.15 DZD 947

$10.39 MX$178

-31.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 DZD 172

$1.72 MX$29.59

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 DZD 277

$2.61 MX$44.85

-19.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 DZD 30.47

$0.54 MX$9.30

-57.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.60 DZD 2,333

$26.94 MX$462

-34.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 DZD 85.9

$3.13 MX$53.7

-79.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 DZD 44.16

$2.51 MX$43.09

-86.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 DZD 720

$3.15 MX$54.1

72.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 47.76

$1.27 MX$21.88

-71.65%

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

$32.2K DZD 4.3M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

6.15%

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

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

41.62%

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

$40.26 DZD 5,336

$83.0 MX$1,425

-51.49%

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

$9.37 DZD 1,242

$22.71 MX$390

-58.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.05 DZD 2,260

$29.46 MX$506

-42.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.07 DZD 3,057

$51.0 MX$875

-54.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$5.30 DZD 702

$4.93 MX$84.5

7.51%

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

$92.5 DZD 12.3K

$197 MX$3,386

-53.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,584 DZD 475.0K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-32.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.82 DZD 4,880

$36.90 MX$633

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.34 DZD 6,009

$39.89 MX$685

13.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 DZD 10.1K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-5.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 DZD 10.4K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-12.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 DZD 26.0K

$956 MX$16.4K

-79.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 DZD 15.0K

$477 MX$8,189

-76.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 DZD 36.0K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-83.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 DZD 24.4K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-84.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,112 DZD 147.4K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-71.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,124 DZD 148.9K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-82.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 DZD 42.4K

$667 MX$11.4K

-52.02%

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 Ain Beida: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $196 in Ain Beida 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.

Salaries run about 108% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $23.00 in Ain Beida versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $250 – making Ain Beida 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $625 in Ain Beida, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 103% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $937 per month in Ain Beida 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 Ain Beida, 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 $625 in Ain Beida and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Ain Beida. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ain Beida, where all-in costs run around $625, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Ain Beida it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $625 in Ain Beida to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Ain Beida. 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.