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: $611 in Guelma versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $986 in Guelma versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,361 in Guelma versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Guelma costs roughly 53% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guelma 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 DZD 421

$11.94 MX$209

-73.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.99 DZD 3,178

$42.75 MX$748

-43.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 DZD 504

$10.59 MX$185

-64.12%

Cappuccino

$0.72 DZD 95.1

$3.62 MX$63.4

-80.11%

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

$0.57 DZD 75.7

$1.47 MX$25.69

-61.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.82

$0.94 MX$16.51

-77.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 DZD 262

$3.09 MX$54.1

-35.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 DZD 312

$4.46 MX$78.0

-47.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 DZD 130

$1.43 MX$24.94

-31.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 DZD 20.78

$1.88 MX$32.97

-91.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 DZD 215

$1.63 MX$28.50

-0.61%

Eggs

$1.81 DZD 240

$2.64 MX$46.26

-31.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 DZD 1,215

$8.21 MX$144

11.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 DZD 682

$8.29 MX$145

-38.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.73 DZD 2,217

$11.10 MX$194

50.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 DZD 420

$2.65 MX$46.40

19.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 DZD 374

$1.50 MX$26.26

88.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 DZD 226

$1.99 MX$34.79

-14.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 DZD 104

$2.08 MX$36.33

-62.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 DZD 77.0

$1.79 MX$31.29

-67.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 65.7

$2.18 MX$38.09

-77.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 DZD 85.6

$1.08 MX$18.84

-39.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.90

$1.04 MX$18.15

-73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 DZD 359

$3.97 MX$69.5

-31.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.21 DZD 955

$10.20 MX$179

-29.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 DZD 180

$1.73 MX$30.22

-21.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 DZD 275

$2.50 MX$43.71

-17.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.32

$0.52 MX$9.07

-51.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.62 DZD 2,335

$26.97 MX$472

-34.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 DZD 88.2

$3.14 MX$55.0

-78.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 DZD 47.99

$2.40 MX$42.04

-85.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 DZD 707

$3.09 MX$54.0

72.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 DZD 48.41

$1.27 MX$22.28

-70.87%

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

$32.0K DZD 4.2M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

3.77%

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

$33.5K DZD 4.4M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

43.67%

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

$40.48 DZD 5,363

$82.0 MX$1,435

-50.64%

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

$9.48 DZD 1,256

$22.45 MX$393

-57.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.90 DZD 2,239

$29.66 MX$519

-43.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.44 DZD 3,105

$51.9 MX$908

-54.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$5.38 DZD 712

$4.97 MX$87.0

8.25%

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

$92.7 DZD 12.3K

$198 MX$3,462

-53.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,664 DZD 485.4K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-30.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.07 DZD 4,912

$36.34 MX$636

2.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.82 DZD 5,938

$40.05 MX$701

11.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 DZD 9,971

$79.9 MX$1,398

-5.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 DZD 10.4K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-12.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 DZD 26.0K

$963 MX$16.9K

-79.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 DZD 15.1K

$465 MX$8,133

-75.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 DZD 36.6K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-82.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 DZD 24.5K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-84.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$544 DZD 72.1K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-86.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$392 DZD 51.9K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-93.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$323 DZD 42.8K

$720 MX$12.6K

-55.18%

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 Guelma: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in Guelma and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 123% 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: $24.00 in Guelma vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $251 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 111% in total monthly costs ($611 vs $1,287 including rent). Guelma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 123% less. 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: $196 in Guelma versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% 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 $24.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $611 in Guelma versus $1,287 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 111% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.