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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $562 per month in Biskra vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $917 per month in Biskra vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,272 per month in Biskra vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Biskra is about 56% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Biskra and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Biskra 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 DZD 393

$11.94 MX$208

-75.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.44 DZD 3,771

$42.75 MX$744

-33.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 DZD 509

$10.59 MX$184

-63.74%

Cappuccino

$1.36 DZD 180

$3.62 MX$63.0

-62.43%

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

$1.07 DZD 142

$1.47 MX$25.54

-27.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 DZD 44.14

$0.94 MX$16.41

-64.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 DZD 255

$3.09 MX$53.8

-37.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 DZD 321

$4.46 MX$77.6

-45.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 DZD 184

$1.43 MX$24.80

-2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 DZD 22.86

$1.88 MX$32.79

-90.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 DZD 183

$1.63 MX$28.34

-15.34%

Eggs

$1.41 DZD 187

$2.64 MX$45.99

-46.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.53 DZD 866

$8.21 MX$143

-20.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 DZD 474

$8.29 MX$144

-56.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.08 DZD 2,531

$11.10 MX$193

71.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 DZD 494

$2.65 MX$46.14

40.75%

Banana (1kg)

$3.47 DZD 460

$1.50 MX$26.11

131.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 DZD 250

$1.99 MX$34.59

-5.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 DZD 102

$2.08 MX$36.13

-62.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 DZD 101

$1.79 MX$31.11

-57.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 DZD 60.6

$2.18 MX$37.87

-78.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 DZD 53.1

$1.08 MX$18.73

-62.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 DZD 43.53

$1.04 MX$18.04

-68.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 DZD 498

$3.97 MX$69.1

-5.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.21 DZD 956

$10.20 MX$178

-29.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 DZD 172

$1.73 MX$30.04

-25.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 DZD 287

$2.50 MX$43.46

-13.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 DZD 31.91

$0.52 MX$9.02

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.65 DZD 2,341

$26.97 MX$469

-34.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 DZD 155

$3.14 MX$54.7

-62.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 DZD 48.19

$2.40 MX$41.80

-85.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 DZD 713

$3.09 MX$53.7

74.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 48.34

$1.27 MX$22.16

-71.65%

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

$32.5K DZD 4.3M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

5.20%

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

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

41.83%

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

$40.73 DZD 5,401

$82.0 MX$1,427

-50.34%

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

$10.61 DZD 1,407

$22.45 MX$391

-52.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.40 DZD 1,379

$29.66 MX$516

-64.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.13 DZD 3,068

$51.9 MX$903

-55.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 DZD 715

$4.97 MX$86.5

8.45%

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

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

$198 MX$3,442

-53.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,656 DZD 484.8K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-30.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.25 DZD 4,940

$36.34 MX$632

2.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.06 DZD 2,793

$40.05 MX$697

-47.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 DZD 9,268

$79.9 MX$1,390

-12.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.60 DZD 3,793

$88.9 MX$1,547

-67.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$144 DZD 19.2K

$963 MX$16.8K

-85.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 DZD 14.3K

$465 MX$8,086

-76.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$163 DZD 21.6K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-89.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 DZD 19.8K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-87.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$416 DZD 55.2K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-89.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$290 DZD 38.5K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-95.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$232 DZD 30.8K

$720 MX$12.5K

-67.76%

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 Biskra: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $144 in Biskra 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.

Salaries run about 210% 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 $28.00 in Biskra versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $251 – making Biskra 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 129%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $843 per month in Biskra 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 Biskra, 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 $562 in Biskra and $1,287 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 Biskra. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Biskra, where all-in costs run around $562, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Biskra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Biskra – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Biskra. 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.