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 $622 per month in Hassi Messaoud vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $982 per month in Hassi Messaoud vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,341 per month in Hassi Messaoud vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hassi Messaoud is about 51% 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 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 DZD 414

$11.87 MX$204

-73.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.87 DZD 3,163

$42.90 MX$736

-44.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.01 DZD 531

$10.65 MX$183

-62.35%

Cappuccino

$0.72 DZD 96.0

$3.45 MX$59.2

-79.13%

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

$0.56 DZD 74.6

$1.50 MX$25.81

-62.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.49

$0.95 MX$16.28

-75.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 DZD 266

$3.03 MX$51.9

-33.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 DZD 305

$4.61 MX$79.1

-50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 DZD 132

$1.38 MX$23.61

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 DZD 22.05

$1.85 MX$31.70

-90.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 DZD 206

$1.61 MX$27.65

-3.73%

Eggs

$1.80 DZD 239

$2.59 MX$44.51

-30.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 DZD 1,228

$8.26 MX$142

12.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 DZD 708

$8.37 MX$144

-36.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.21 DZD 2,148

$10.66 MX$183

52.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 DZD 424

$2.63 MX$45.12

21.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 DZD 380

$1.49 MX$25.53

92.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 DZD 235

$1.92 MX$32.94

-7.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 DZD 99.1

$2.09 MX$35.81

-64.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 DZD 77.4

$1.86 MX$31.88

-68.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 65.7

$2.26 MX$38.81

-77.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 DZD 85.5

$1.06 MX$18.23

-39.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.93

$1.09 MX$18.67

-74.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 DZD 354

$4.15 MX$71.2

-35.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.89 DZD 913

$10.39 MX$178

-33.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 DZD 171

$1.72 MX$29.59

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 DZD 288

$2.61 MX$44.85

-16.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.39

$0.54 MX$9.30

-53.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.23 DZD 2,284

$26.94 MX$462

-36.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 DZD 93.2

$3.13 MX$53.7

-77.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 DZD 48.38

$2.51 MX$43.09

-85.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 DZD 717

$3.15 MX$54.1

71.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 DZD 44.80

$1.27 MX$21.88

-73.23%

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

$32.7K DZD 4.3M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

7.72%

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

$34.1K DZD 4.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

44.65%

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

$40.50 DZD 5,368

$83.0 MX$1,425

-51.20%

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

$9.15 DZD 1,213

$22.71 MX$390

-59.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.91 DZD 2,242

$29.46 MX$506

-42.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.75 DZD 3,147

$51.0 MX$875

-53.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.44 DZD 323

$18.33 MX$315

-86.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.47 DZD 725

$4.93 MX$84.5

10.95%

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

$95.6 DZD 12.7K

$197 MX$3,386

-51.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,600 DZD 477.1K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-31.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.72 DZD 4,867

$36.90 MX$633

-0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.05 DZD 5,970

$39.89 MX$685

12.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 DZD 10.0K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 DZD 10.1K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 DZD 25.8K

$956 MX$16.4K

-79.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 DZD 15.1K

$477 MX$8,189

-76.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 DZD 35.8K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-83.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 DZD 24.7K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-84.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,119 DZD 148.3K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-71.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,117 DZD 148.0K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-82.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$411 DZD 54.4K

$667 MX$11.4K

-38.42%

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 Hassi Messaoud: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Hassi Messaoud 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 62% 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 $24.00 in Hassi Messaoud versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $250 – 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: $622 in Hassi Messaoud, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 104% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $933 per month in Hassi Messaoud 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 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 56% less in Hassi Messaoud. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.6 per month in Hassi Messaoud and $197 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 $622, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $622 in Hassi Messaoud to $1,271 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.