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 $623 per month in Hassi Messaoud vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $989 per month in Hassi Messaoud vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,356 per month in Hassi Messaoud vs $2,990 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 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.20 DZD 423

$11.72 MX$203

-72.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.41 DZD 3,095

$41.89 MX$725

-44.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.92 DZD 519

$10.51 MX$182

-62.70%

Cappuccino

$0.76 DZD 101

$3.59 MX$62.0

-78.83%

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

$0.56 DZD 74.5

$1.51 MX$26.10

-62.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.49

$0.92 MX$15.83

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 DZD 251

$2.96 MX$51.2

-35.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 DZD 310

$4.41 MX$76.3

-46.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 DZD 131

$1.40 MX$24.16

-29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 DZD 19.26

$1.88 MX$32.60

-92.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 DZD 210

$1.56 MX$26.97

1.92%

Eggs

$1.79 DZD 237

$2.61 MX$45.14

-31.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 DZD 1,180

$8.32 MX$144

7.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 DZD 690

$8.35 MX$145

-37.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.81 DZD 2,222

$10.86 MX$188

54.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 DZD 409

$2.71 MX$46.93

14.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 DZD 373

$1.51 MX$26.04

86.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 DZD 233

$1.87 MX$32.41

-5.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 DZD 98.7

$2.19 MX$37.89

-65.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 DZD 72.5

$1.86 MX$32.14

-70.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 66.1

$2.23 MX$38.59

-77.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 DZD 85.7

$1.07 MX$18.48

-39.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.76

$1.09 MX$18.79

-74.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 DZD 366

$4.19 MX$72.4

-33.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.78 DZD 897

$10.43 MX$180

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 DZD 172

$1.66 MX$28.68

-21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 DZD 285

$2.61 MX$45.19

-17.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.09

$0.54 MX$9.37

-53.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.74 DZD 2,345

$26.16 MX$453

-32.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 DZD 85.7

$3.08 MX$53.3

-78.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 DZD 48.56

$2.40 MX$41.61

-84.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 DZD 703

$3.13 MX$54.1

69.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 47.63

$1.31 MX$22.69

-72.52%

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

$32.4K DZD 4.3M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

8.83%

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

$34.1K DZD 4.5M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

46.04%

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

$40.94 DZD 5,413

$81.3 MX$1,406

-49.63%

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

$9.62 DZD 1,272

$22.56 MX$390

-57.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.96 DZD 2,243

$30.05 MX$520

-43.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.10 DZD 3,055

$52.9 MX$915

-56.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.58 DZD 341

$18.39 MX$318

-85.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.37 DZD 711

$4.92 MX$85.1

9.15%

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

$94.4 DZD 12.5K

$201 MX$3,474

-52.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,536 DZD 467.6K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-31.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.52 DZD 4,829

$35.92 MX$622

1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.02 DZD 6,085

$40.13 MX$694

14.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 DZD 9,745

$79.7 MX$1,379

-7.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 DZD 10.0K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-12.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 DZD 25.8K

$978 MX$16.9K

-80.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 DZD 15.2K

$470 MX$8,140

-75.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 DZD 36.4K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-83.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 DZD 24.0K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-84.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 DZD 166.3K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-68.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,287 DZD 170.2K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-80.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$415 DZD 54.8K

$677 MX$11.7K

-38.70%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $195 in Hassi Messaoud versus $978 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 63% 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 $23.00 in Hassi Messaoud versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $252 – 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: $623 in Hassi Messaoud, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 102% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $935 per month in Hassi Messaoud and $1,890 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 47% less in Hassi Messaoud. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $94.4 per month in Hassi Messaoud and $201 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 $623, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $623 in Hassi Messaoud to $1,260 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.