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 $582 per month in Biskra vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $935 per month in Biskra vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,288 per month in Biskra vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Biskra is about 54% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Biskra and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Biskra 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.90 DZD 385

$11.87 MX$204

-75.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.84 DZD 3,822

$42.90 MX$736

-32.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.83 DZD 508

$10.65 MX$183

-64.04%

Cappuccino

$1.41 DZD 188

$3.45 MX$59.2

-59.13%

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

$1.07 DZD 142

$1.50 MX$25.81

-28.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 40.33

$0.95 MX$16.28

-68.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 DZD 262

$3.03 MX$51.9

-34.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 DZD 317

$4.61 MX$79.1

-48.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 DZD 191

$1.38 MX$23.61

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 DZD 20.15

$1.85 MX$31.70

-91.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 DZD 186

$1.61 MX$27.65

-12.42%

Eggs

$1.39 DZD 184

$2.59 MX$44.51

-46.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 DZD 872

$8.26 MX$142

-20.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 DZD 462

$8.37 MX$144

-58.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.51 DZD 2,585

$10.66 MX$183

83.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 DZD 483

$2.63 MX$45.12

38.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.42 DZD 453

$1.49 MX$25.53

129.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 DZD 242

$1.92 MX$32.94

-4.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 DZD 94.1

$2.09 MX$35.81

-66.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 DZD 103

$1.86 MX$31.88

-58.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 DZD 65.4

$2.26 MX$38.81

-78.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 DZD 52.3

$1.06 MX$18.23

-63.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 DZD 43.05

$1.09 MX$18.67

-70.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 DZD 510

$4.15 MX$71.2

-7.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 DZD 828

$10.39 MX$178

-39.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 DZD 180

$1.72 MX$29.59

-20.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 DZD 284

$2.61 MX$44.85

-18.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 DZD 29.00

$0.54 MX$9.30

-59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.71 DZD 2,347

$26.94 MX$462

-34.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 DZD 152

$3.13 MX$53.7

-63.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.67

$2.51 MX$43.09

-86.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 DZD 717

$3.15 MX$54.1

71.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 DZD 44.93

$1.27 MX$21.88

-73.23%

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

$31.8K DZD 4.2M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

4.66%

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

$33.3K DZD 4.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

41.28%

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

$41.12 DZD 5,451

$83.0 MX$1,425

-50.46%

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

$10.57 DZD 1,401

$22.71 MX$390

-53.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.39 DZD 1,377

$29.46 MX$506

-64.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.43 DZD 3,106

$51.0 MX$875

-54.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 DZD 720

$4.93 MX$84.5

10.14%

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

$92.6 DZD 12.3K

$197 MX$3,386

-53.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,557 DZD 471.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-32.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.50 DZD 4,838

$36.90 MX$633

-1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.53 DZD 2,853

$39.89 MX$685

-46.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 DZD 9,421

$80.0 MX$1,373

-11.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.08 DZD 3,855

$89.5 MX$1,536

-67.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 DZD 18.8K

$956 MX$16.4K

-85.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 DZD 14.4K

$477 MX$8,189

-77.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 DZD 21.0K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-90.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 DZD 20.0K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-87.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,111 DZD 147.2K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-71.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,113 DZD 147.5K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-82.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$233 DZD 30.9K

$667 MX$11.4K

-65.08%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $142 in Biskra 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 186% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $250 – 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 118%, 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 $873 per month in Biskra 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 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 $582 in Biskra 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 52% 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 $582, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.