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 $557 per month in Biskra vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $898 per month in Biskra vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,239 per month in Biskra vs $3,292 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 59% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 DZD 396

$11.60 MX$200

-74.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.35 DZD 3,920

$47.11 MX$812

-37.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 DZD 550

$11.88 MX$205

-65.32%

Cappuccino

$1.43 DZD 191

$3.98 MX$68.6

-64.07%

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

$1.11 DZD 149

$1.43 MX$24.60

-22.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 DZD 44.65

$0.82 MX$14.22

-59.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 DZD 190

$3.19 MX$55.0

-55.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 DZD 291

$6.79 MX$117

-67.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 DZD 193

$1.68 MX$28.89

-13.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 DZD 22.44

$2.20 MX$37.88

-92.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 DZD 179

$1.71 MX$29.45

-21.64%

Eggs

$1.46 DZD 194

$2.74 MX$47.26

-46.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 DZD 852

$9.58 MX$165

-33.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 DZD 478

$9.01 MX$155

-60.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.60 DZD 2,618

$12.81 MX$221

53.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 DZD 493

$2.89 MX$49.81

27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.36 DZD 449

$1.50 MX$25.81

124.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 DZD 253

$2.15 MX$37.03

-12.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 DZD 102

$2.26 MX$38.96

-65.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 DZD 94.3

$1.98 MX$34.15

-64.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 DZD 64.1

$1.99 MX$34.30

-75.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 DZD 53.0

$1.23 MX$21.28

-67.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 DZD 47.32

$1.20 MX$20.63

-70.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 DZD 517

$4.55 MX$78.5

-14.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 DZD 1,021

$10.37 MX$179

-26.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 DZD 173

$1.62 MX$27.91

-19.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 DZD 255

$2.88 MX$49.67

-33.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 DZD 29.30

$0.60 MX$10.35

-63.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.30 DZD 975

$28.80 MX$497

-74.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 DZD 157

$5.39 MX$92.9

-78.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 DZD 49.58

$3.73 MX$64.3

-90.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 DZD 609

$5.77 MX$99.5

-20.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 43.58

$1.54 MX$26.48

-78.57%

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

$36.7K DZD 4.9M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

62.94%

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

$35.5K DZD 4.7M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

36.25%

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

$38.05 DZD 5,083

$91.4 MX$1,576

-58.36%

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

$8.94 DZD 1,195

$25.20 MX$435

-64.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.56 DZD 1,945

$31.24 MX$539

-53.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.33 DZD 2,850

$67.2 MX$1,159

-68.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 DZD 630

$4.86 MX$83.8

-2.88%

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

$103 DZD 13.8K

$224 MX$3,856

-53.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,371 DZD 450.4K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-20.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.79 DZD 4,380

$47.10 MX$812

-30.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.31 DZD 2,847

$44.29 MX$764

-51.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 DZD 9,231

$80.1 MX$1,381

-13.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.13 DZD 3,892

$92.7 MX$1,598

-68.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$145 DZD 19.3K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-86.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 DZD 14.1K

$390 MX$6,728

-72.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$161 DZD 21.5K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-92.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 DZD 19.8K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-88.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,268 DZD 169.4K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-68.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$284 DZD 37.9K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-95.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$231 DZD 30.9K

$758 MX$13.1K

-69.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.3

11.45

-53.71%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Biskra: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $145 in Biskra versus $1,063 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 228% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $276 – 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 127%, 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 $835 per month in Biskra and $1,899 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 $557 in Biskra and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 295% 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 $557, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.