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: $558 in Laghouat versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $908 in Laghouat versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,258 in Laghouat versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Laghouat costs roughly 56% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Laghouat 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 DZD 358

$11.67 MX$202

-76.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.67 DZD 2,868

$41.88 MX$726

-48.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 DZD 637

$10.40 MX$180

-53.65%

Cappuccino

$1.05 DZD 139

$3.61 MX$62.6

-70.91%

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

$0.70 DZD 92.2

$1.47 MX$25.45

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 DZD 24.26

$0.91 MX$15.80

-80.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 DZD 253

$3.03 MX$52.6

-36.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 DZD 320

$4.47 MX$77.4

-45.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 DZD 135

$1.38 MX$23.83

-26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 DZD 43.12

$1.84 MX$31.93

-82.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 DZD 328

$1.61 MX$27.82

54.04%

Eggs

$1.88 DZD 249

$2.57 MX$44.52

-26.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.79 DZD 502

$8.49 MX$147

-55.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 DZD 903

$8.49 MX$147

-19.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.33 DZD 2,294

$10.99 MX$190

57.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 DZD 558

$2.73 MX$47.25

54.21%

Banana (1kg)

$3.98 DZD 526

$1.50 MX$25.92

165.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 DZD 234

$1.96 MX$33.93

-9.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 DZD 151

$2.12 MX$36.70

-46.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 DZD 93.0

$1.86 MX$32.30

-62.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 DZD 87.5

$2.17 MX$37.67

-69.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 DZD 88.8

$1.07 MX$18.59

-37.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 39.36

$1.05 MX$18.18

-71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 DZD 303

$4.19 MX$72.6

-45.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 DZD 916

$10.28 MX$178

-32.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 DZD 173

$1.67 MX$28.87

-21.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 DZD 285

$2.49 MX$43.12

-13.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 DZD 15.19

$0.54 MX$9.37

-79.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.31 DZD 2,290

$26.27 MX$455

-34.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 DZD 100

$3.10 MX$53.8

-75.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 DZD 36.75

$2.46 MX$42.66

-88.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 DZD 817

$3.24 MX$56.1

90.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 DZD 49.00

$1.26 MX$21.83

-70.63%

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

$29.8K DZD 3.9M

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-1.31%

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

$56.7K DZD 7.5M

$23.4K MX$406.3K

142.05%

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

$41.19 DZD 5,451

$84.0 MX$1,456

-50.96%

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

$9.46 DZD 1,252

$22.21 MX$385

-57.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.79 DZD 2,619

$29.65 MX$514

-33.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.64 DZD 2,334

$52.6 MX$912

-66.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 DZD 721

$4.95 MX$85.7

10.10%

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

$94.2 DZD 12.5K

$198 MX$3,438

-52.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,605 DZD 477.1K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-32.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.60 DZD 3,784

$35.95 MX$623

-20.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 DZD 6,021

$40.06 MX$694

13.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.2 DZD 7,565

$78.8 MX$1,365

-27.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 DZD 9,218

$86.5 MX$1,499

-19.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 DZD 16.6K

$977 MX$16.9K

-87.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.6 DZD 9,476

$471 MX$8,158

-84.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 DZD 23.6K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-88.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 DZD 15.6K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-90.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$454 DZD 60.1K

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-88.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$310 DZD 41.0K

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-95.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$361 DZD 47.8K

$714 MX$12.4K

-49.44%

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 Laghouat: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $125 in Laghouat and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 98% 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: $22 in Laghouat vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $252 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 126% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 98% less. 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: $125 in Laghouat versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $558 per month in Laghouat versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – a 126% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 52% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $558 in Laghouat versus $1,261 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 126% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.