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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $553 in Guelma versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $881 in Guelma versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,208 in Guelma versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Guelma costs roughly 56% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guelma 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.19 DZD 425

$11.60 MX$200

-72.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.03 DZD 2,266

$47.11 MX$811

-63.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 DZD 544

$11.88 MX$205

-65.66%

Cappuccino

$0.74 DZD 98.9

$3.98 MX$68.5

-81.41%

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

$0.66 DZD 88.0

$1.43 MX$24.57

-53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 40.29

$0.82 MX$14.20

-63.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 DZD 204

$3.19 MX$54.9

-52.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 DZD 283

$6.79 MX$117

-68.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 DZD 121

$1.68 MX$28.85

-45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 19.07

$2.20 MX$37.83

-93.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 DZD 153

$1.71 MX$29.41

-32.75%

Eggs

$1.39 DZD 185

$2.74 MX$47.20

-49.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 DZD 1,094

$9.58 MX$165

-14.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 DZD 539

$9.01 MX$155

-55.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 DZD 1,952

$12.81 MX$221

14.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 DZD 291

$2.89 MX$49.74

-24.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 DZD 377

$1.50 MX$25.78

89.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 DZD 148

$2.15 MX$36.98

-47.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 DZD 124

$2.26 MX$38.91

-58.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 DZD 86.2

$1.98 MX$34.10

-67.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 DZD 68.0

$1.99 MX$34.26

-74.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 DZD 94.5

$1.23 MX$21.25

-42.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 DZD 34.53

$1.20 MX$20.60

-78.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 DZD 366

$4.55 MX$78.3

-39.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 DZD 918

$10.37 MX$179

-33.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 DZD 151

$1.62 MX$27.88

-30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 DZD 259

$2.88 MX$49.60

-32.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 DZD 22.74

$0.60 MX$10.34

-71.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.02 DZD 802

$28.80 MX$496

-79.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 DZD 78.6

$5.39 MX$92.8

-89.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 DZD 56.1

$3.73 MX$64.2

-88.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 DZD 671

$5.77 MX$99.3

-12.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 48.39

$1.54 MX$26.45

-76.62%

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

$36.3K DZD 4.8M

$22.5K MX$388.3K

60.90%

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

$35.7K DZD 4.8M

$26.1K MX$448.7K

37.05%

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

$38.32 DZD 5,100

$91.4 MX$1,573

-58.07%

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

$9.03 DZD 1,202

$25.20 MX$434

-64.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.46 DZD 1,658

$31.24 MX$538

-60.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.91 DZD 2,783

$67.2 MX$1,157

-68.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 DZD 609

$4.86 MX$83.7

-5.76%

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

$100 DZD 13.3K

$224 MX$3,851

-55.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,647 DZD 485.5K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

-13.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.92 DZD 4,382

$47.10 MX$811

-30.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.23 DZD 4,689

$44.29 MX$763

-20.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 DZD 9,325

$80.1 MX$1,379

-12.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 DZD 10.2K

$92.7 MX$1,596

-17.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 DZD 21.1K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-85.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 DZD 14.1K

$390 MX$6,719

-72.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 DZD 37.7K

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-86.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 DZD 28.0K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-83.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,275 DZD 169.7K

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-68.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 DZD 51.5K

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-94.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$314 DZD 41.7K

$758 MX$13.1K

-58.65%

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 Guelma: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Guelma and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 142% 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: $17.00 in Guelma vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $276 per month, with Guelma 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

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

Guelma and Playa del Carmen differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($553 vs $1,266 including rent). Guelma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 142% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $158 in Guelma versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Guelma – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $553 in Guelma versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Guelma but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Guelma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Guelma 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 Guelma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.