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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $659 in Algiers versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,061 in Algiers versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,462 in Algiers versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Algiers costs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Algiers 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.20 DZD 425

$11.94 MX$208

-73.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.36 DZD 3,098

$42.75 MX$744

-45.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 DZD 640

$10.59 MX$184

-54.39%

Cappuccino

$1.03 DZD 136

$3.62 MX$63.0

-71.55%

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

$0.62 DZD 81.7

$1.47 MX$25.54

-57.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.54

$0.94 MX$16.41

-75.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DZD 255

$3.09 MX$53.8

-37.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 DZD 310

$4.46 MX$77.6

-47.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 DZD 133

$1.43 MX$24.80

-30.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 DZD 20.72

$1.88 MX$32.79

-91.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 DZD 241

$1.63 MX$28.34

11.66%

Eggs

$1.80 DZD 238

$2.64 MX$45.99

-31.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 DZD 1,188

$8.21 MX$143

9.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 DZD 716

$8.29 MX$144

-34.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.21 DZD 2,150

$11.10 MX$193

46.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 DZD 410

$2.65 MX$46.14

16.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 DZD 385

$1.50 MX$26.11

93.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 DZD 228

$1.99 MX$34.59

-13.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 DZD 123

$2.08 MX$36.13

-55.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 DZD 85.0

$1.79 MX$31.11

-64.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 DZD 65.5

$2.18 MX$37.87

-77.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 DZD 88.6

$1.08 MX$18.73

-37.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 39.98

$1.04 MX$18.04

-71.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 DZD 372

$3.97 MX$69.1

-29.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 DZD 911

$10.20 MX$178

-32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 DZD 170

$1.73 MX$30.04

-26.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 DZD 287

$2.50 MX$43.46

-13.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 DZD 44.27

$0.52 MX$9.02

-36.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.73 DZD 1,556

$26.97 MX$469

-56.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 DZD 87.1

$3.14 MX$54.7

-78.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 DZD 48.63

$2.40 MX$41.80

-84.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 DZD 755

$3.09 MX$53.7

84.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 48.38

$1.27 MX$22.16

-71.65%

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

$36.1K DZD 4.8M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

17.01%

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

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

43.08%

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

$39.90 DZD 5,292

$82.0 MX$1,427

-51.35%

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

$9.25 DZD 1,226

$22.45 MX$391

-58.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.01 DZD 2,389

$29.66 MX$516

-39.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.77 DZD 3,286

$51.9 MX$903

-52.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.36 DZD 2,965

$18.67 MX$325

19.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 DZD 799

$4.97 MX$86.5

21.33%

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

$92.7 DZD 12.3K

$198 MX$3,442

-53.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,598 DZD 477.1K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-31.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.81 DZD 4,881

$36.34 MX$632

1.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.66 DZD 5,923

$40.05 MX$697

11.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 DZD 9,909

$79.9 MX$1,390

-6.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 DZD 10.4K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-11.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 DZD 29.9K

$963 MX$16.8K

-76.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 DZD 19.7K

$465 MX$8,086

-68.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 DZD 57.6K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-72.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 DZD 34.2K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-78.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,614 DZD 346.7K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-33.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,433 DZD 190.0K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-77.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 DZD 45.1K

$720 MX$12.5K

-52.77%

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 Algiers: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $225 in Algiers and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 112% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Algiers vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $251 per month, with Algiers cheaper across the board.

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

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

Algiers is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 112% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $225 in Algiers versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Algiers – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $659 per month in Algiers versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $659 in Algiers versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Algiers but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Algiers the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Algiers is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Algiers and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Algiers gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.