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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $908 per month in Biskra vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,255 per month in Biskra vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Biskra is about 55% 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 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 DZD 371

$11.72 MX$203

-76.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.23 DZD 3,864

$41.89 MX$725

-30.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 DZD 528

$10.51 MX$182

-62.04%

Cappuccino

$1.43 DZD 189

$3.59 MX$62.0

-60.17%

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

$1.07 DZD 142

$1.51 MX$26.10

-29.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 DZD 40.65

$0.92 MX$15.83

-66.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 DZD 265

$2.96 MX$51.2

-32.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 DZD 316

$4.41 MX$76.3

-45.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DZD 185

$1.40 MX$24.16

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 DZD 20.03

$1.88 MX$32.60

-92.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 DZD 178

$1.56 MX$26.97

-13.46%

Eggs

$1.45 DZD 192

$2.61 MX$45.14

-44.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 DZD 843

$8.32 MX$144

-23.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 DZD 474

$8.35 MX$145

-57.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.58 DZD 2,589

$10.86 MX$188

80.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 DZD 489

$2.71 MX$46.93

36.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.43 DZD 453

$1.51 MX$26.04

127.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 DZD 240

$1.87 MX$32.41

-2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 DZD 99.3

$2.19 MX$37.89

-65.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 DZD 102

$1.86 MX$32.14

-58.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 65.6

$2.23 MX$38.59

-77.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 DZD 52.2

$1.07 MX$18.48

-62.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 DZD 46.34

$1.09 MX$18.79

-67.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.83 DZD 506

$4.19 MX$72.4

-8.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 DZD 860

$10.43 MX$180

-37.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 DZD 173

$1.66 MX$28.68

-21.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 DZD 274

$2.61 MX$45.19

-20.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 DZD 28.97

$0.54 MX$9.37

-59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.60 DZD 2,327

$26.16 MX$453

-32.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 DZD 151

$3.08 MX$53.3

-62.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.88

$2.40 MX$41.61

-85.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 DZD 712

$3.13 MX$54.1

72.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 DZD 44.42

$1.31 MX$22.69

-74.05%

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

$32.3K DZD 4.3M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

8.42%

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

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

41.79%

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

$40.62 DZD 5,371

$81.3 MX$1,406

-50.02%

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

$10.33 DZD 1,366

$22.56 MX$390

-54.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.50 DZD 1,388

$30.05 MX$520

-65.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.30 DZD 3,081

$52.9 MX$915

-55.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 DZD 706

$4.92 MX$85.1

8.54%

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

$93.0 DZD 12.3K

$201 MX$3,474

-53.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,639 DZD 481.1K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-29.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.17 DZD 4,782

$35.92 MX$622

0.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.35 DZD 2,823

$40.13 MX$694

-46.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 DZD 9,326

$79.7 MX$1,379

-11.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.73 DZD 3,798

$86.5 MX$1,496

-66.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 DZD 18.6K

$978 MX$16.9K

-85.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 DZD 14.2K

$470 MX$8,140

-77.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 DZD 21.4K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-90.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 DZD 19.7K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-87.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,144 DZD 151.2K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-71.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,148 DZD 151.8K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-82.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$233 DZD 30.8K

$677 MX$11.7K

-65.58%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $141 in Biskra versus $978 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 191% 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 $29.00 in Biskra versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $252 – 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 124%, 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 $842 per month in Biskra and $1,890 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% 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 $1,260. 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.