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: $603 in Guelma versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $958 in Guelma versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,312 in Guelma versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Guelma costs roughly 52% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guelma 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.26 DZD 431

$11.72 MX$203

-72.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.27 DZD 3,077

$41.89 MX$725

-44.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.98 DZD 526

$10.51 MX$182

-62.13%

Cappuccino

$0.77 DZD 102

$3.59 MX$62.0

-78.55%

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

$0.61 DZD 80.3

$1.51 MX$26.10

-59.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.75

$0.92 MX$15.83

-77.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 DZD 252

$2.96 MX$51.2

-35.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 DZD 318

$4.41 MX$76.3

-45.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 DZD 131

$1.40 MX$24.16

-29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 DZD 20.71

$1.88 MX$32.60

-91.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 DZD 213

$1.56 MX$26.97

3.21%

Eggs

$1.87 DZD 248

$2.61 MX$45.14

-28.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 DZD 1,181

$8.32 MX$144

7.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 DZD 718

$8.35 MX$145

-34.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.83 DZD 2,226

$10.86 MX$188

54.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 DZD 419

$2.71 MX$46.93

16.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 DZD 385

$1.51 MX$26.04

92.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 DZD 223

$1.87 MX$32.41

-9.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 DZD 100

$2.19 MX$37.89

-65.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 DZD 77.6

$1.86 MX$32.14

-68.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 DZD 64.9

$2.23 MX$38.59

-78.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 DZD 80.2

$1.07 MX$18.48

-42.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 37.01

$1.09 MX$18.79

-74.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 DZD 371

$4.19 MX$72.4

-32.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 DZD 917

$10.43 MX$180

-33.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 DZD 172

$1.66 MX$28.68

-21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 DZD 283

$2.61 MX$45.19

-18.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.10

$0.54 MX$9.37

-53.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.15 DZD 2,268

$26.16 MX$453

-34.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 DZD 85.7

$3.08 MX$53.3

-78.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.56

$2.40 MX$41.61

-85.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 DZD 687

$3.13 MX$54.1

65.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.09

$1.31 MX$22.69

-74.81%

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)

$33.9K DZD 4.5M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

45.14%

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

$41.42 DZD 5,477

$81.3 MX$1,406

-49.04%

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

$9.18 DZD 1,214

$22.56 MX$390

-59.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.81 DZD 2,223

$30.05 MX$520

-44.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.68 DZD 3,132

$52.9 MX$915

-55.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 DZD 717

$4.92 MX$85.1

10.16%

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

$93.0 DZD 12.3K

$201 MX$3,474

-53.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,547 DZD 468.9K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-31.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.88 DZD 4,877

$35.92 MX$622

2.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.40 DZD 6,003

$40.13 MX$694

13.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 DZD 10.1K

$79.7 MX$1,379

-3.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 DZD 10.2K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 DZD 25.8K

$978 MX$16.9K

-80.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 DZD 15.1K

$470 MX$8,140

-75.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 DZD 36.6K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-83.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 DZD 24.0K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-84.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,147 DZD 151.6K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-70.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 DZD 149.6K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-82.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$312 DZD 41.3K

$677 MX$11.7K

-53.83%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $195 in Guelma and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 117% 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: $23.00 in Guelma vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $252 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 109% in total monthly costs ($603 vs $1,260 including rent). Guelma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 117% 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: $195 in Guelma versus $978 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 $23.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $603 in Guelma versus $1,260 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 109% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.