Cost of Living Comparison Between Hassi Messaoud and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Hassi Messaoud and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $544 per month in Hassi Messaoud vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $873 per month in Hassi Messaoud vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Hassi Messaoud vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hassi Messaoud is about 57% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hassi Messaoud and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Hassi Messaoud 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 DZD 442

$11.60 MX$200

-71.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.87 DZD 2,253

$47.11 MX$812

-64.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 DZD 544

$11.88 MX$205

-65.66%

Cappuccino

$0.75 DZD 100

$3.98 MX$68.6

-81.16%

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

$0.62 DZD 83.3

$1.43 MX$24.60

-56.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 DZD 43.99

$0.82 MX$14.22

-59.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 DZD 189

$3.19 MX$55.0

-55.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 DZD 293

$6.79 MX$117

-67.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 DZD 118

$1.68 MX$28.89

-47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 DZD 20.95

$2.20 MX$37.88

-92.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 DZD 153

$1.71 MX$29.45

-32.75%

Eggs

$1.40 DZD 186

$2.74 MX$47.26

-48.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 DZD 1,106

$9.58 MX$165

-13.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 DZD 553

$9.01 MX$155

-54.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 DZD 1,948

$12.81 MX$221

13.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 DZD 286

$2.89 MX$49.81

-25.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 DZD 379

$1.50 MX$25.81

89.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 DZD 149

$2.15 MX$37.03

-48.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 DZD 127

$2.26 MX$38.96

-57.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 DZD 85.0

$1.98 MX$34.15

-67.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 DZD 62.3

$1.99 MX$34.30

-76.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 DZD 93.9

$1.23 MX$21.28

-43.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 40.59

$1.20 MX$20.63

-75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 DZD 375

$4.55 MX$78.5

-38.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.00 DZD 935

$10.37 MX$179

-32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 DZD 174

$1.62 MX$27.91

-19.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 DZD 256

$2.88 MX$49.67

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 DZD 21.31

$0.60 MX$10.35

-73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.46 DZD 863

$28.80 MX$497

-77.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 DZD 80.3

$5.39 MX$92.9

-88.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 DZD 49.82

$3.73 MX$64.3

-90.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 DZD 719

$5.77 MX$99.5

-6.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 DZD 45.36

$1.54 MX$26.48

-77.92%

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

$37.0K DZD 4.9M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

63.88%

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

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

38.02%

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

$38.34 DZD 5,121

$91.4 MX$1,576

-58.04%

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

$9.30 DZD 1,242

$25.20 MX$435

-63.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.35 DZD 1,650

$31.24 MX$539

-60.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.21 DZD 2,834

$67.2 MX$1,159

-68.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.55 DZD 340

$29.11 MX$502

-91.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.69 DZD 626

$4.86 MX$83.8

-3.50%

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

$103 DZD 13.7K

$224 MX$3,856

-54.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,396 DZD 453.7K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-19.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.17 DZD 4,431

$47.10 MX$812

-29.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 DZD 4,759

$44.29 MX$764

-19.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 DZD 9,333

$80.1 MX$1,381

-12.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 DZD 10.2K

$92.7 MX$1,598

-17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 DZD 21.4K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-84.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 DZD 14.4K

$390 MX$6,728

-72.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 DZD 37.4K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-86.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 DZD 27.6K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-83.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,280 DZD 171.0K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-68.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$411 DZD 54.9K

$758 MX$13.1K

-45.77%

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 Hassi Messaoud: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $160 in Hassi Messaoud 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 84% 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 $17.00 in Hassi Messaoud versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $276 – making Hassi Messaoud 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $544 in Hassi Messaoud, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 133% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $816 per month in Hassi Messaoud 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 Hassi Messaoud, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 346% less in Hassi Messaoud. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $103 per month in Hassi Messaoud and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hassi Messaoud, where all-in costs run around $544, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Hassi Messaoud it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $544 in Hassi Messaoud to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Hassi Messaoud. 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.