Cost of Living Comparison Between Laghouat and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Laghouat and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $510 in Laghouat versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $843 in Laghouat versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,175 in Laghouat versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Laghouat costs roughly 61% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Laghouat 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.77 DZD 500

$11.96 MX$203

-68.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.94 DZD 2,778

$47.38 MX$804

-55.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 DZD 632

$11.75 MX$199

-59.49%

Cappuccino

$1.06 DZD 141

$4.12 MX$70.0

-74.27%

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

$0.68 DZD 89.8

$1.40 MX$23.74

-51.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 DZD 22.14

$0.91 MX$15.48

-81.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 DZD 199

$3.21 MX$54.4

-53.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 DZD 287

$7.07 MX$120

-69.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 DZD 136

$1.68 MX$28.44

-38.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 DZD 20.43

$2.15 MX$36.48

-93.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 DZD 339

$1.77 MX$30.10

44.63%

Eggs

$1.82 DZD 241

$2.82 MX$47.76

-35.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.44 DZD 589

$9.20 MX$156

-51.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.78 DZD 766

$9.23 MX$157

-37.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.72 DZD 2,085

$12.64 MX$214

24.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 DZD 504

$2.95 MX$50.1

28.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.61 DZD 479

$1.58 MX$26.79

128.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 DZD 281

$2.22 MX$37.70

-4.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 DZD 139

$2.36 MX$40.09

-55.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 DZD 77.1

$1.99 MX$33.81

-70.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 DZD 76.9

$1.98 MX$33.58

-70.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 DZD 80.6

$1.24 MX$21.04

-50.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 39.35

$1.21 MX$20.55

-75.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 DZD 314

$4.60 MX$78.1

-48.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 DZD 927

$10.52 MX$178

-33.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 DZD 169

$1.69 MX$28.70

-24.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 DZD 274

$2.77 MX$47.06

-25.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 DZD 14.86

$0.60 MX$10.22

-81.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.08 DZD 938

$29.70 MX$504

-76.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 DZD 105

$5.24 MX$88.8

-84.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 45.66

$3.65 MX$61.9

-90.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 DZD 830

$5.78 MX$98.1

8.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 DZD 49.99

$1.54 MX$26.09

-75.32%

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

$30.4K DZD 4.0M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

33.23%

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

$44.8K DZD 5.9M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

73.65%

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

$38.41 DZD 5,094

$90.7 MX$1,538

-57.64%

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

$6.65 DZD 882

$25.19 MX$427

-73.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.48 DZD 2,185

$31.75 MX$539

-48.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.57 DZD 1,932

$68.8 MX$1,167

-78.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 DZD 626

$4.86 MX$82.5

-2.88%

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

$60.3 DZD 7,989

$226 MX$3,828

-73.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,760 DZD 498.6K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-10.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.04 DZD 3,719

$47.38 MX$804

-40.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 DZD 4,555

$43.45 MX$737

-20.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.0 DZD 7,689

$80.2 MX$1,361

-27.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 DZD 9,629

$91.4 MX$1,550

-20.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$101 DZD 13.3K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-90.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.1 DZD 7,573

$409 MX$6,933

-86.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$163 DZD 21.7K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-91.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 DZD 14.8K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-91.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$440 DZD 58.4K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-89.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$303 DZD 40.2K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-95.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$356 DZD 47.2K

$773 MX$13.1K

-53.94%

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 Laghouat: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $101 in Laghouat and $1,086 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: $21.00 in Laghouat vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $278 per month, with Laghouat 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

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

Laghouat is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 156% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

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: $101 in Laghouat versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $510 per month in Laghouat versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 156% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 319% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $510 in Laghouat versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Laghouat but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Laghouat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Laghouat is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Laghouat 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 Laghouat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 156% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.