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: $571 in Laghouat versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $915 in Laghouat versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,259 in Laghouat versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Laghouat costs roughly 55% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Laghouat 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.69 DZD 356

$11.72 MX$204

-77.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.01 DZD 2,781

$41.89 MX$731

-49.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 DZD 611

$10.51 MX$183

-56.04%

Cappuccino

$1.05 DZD 139

$3.59 MX$62.5

-70.75%

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

$0.64 DZD 85.0

$1.51 MX$26.31

-57.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 DZD 23.74

$0.92 MX$15.96

-80.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 DZD 262

$2.96 MX$51.6

-33.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 DZD 307

$4.41 MX$76.9

-47.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 DZD 131

$1.40 MX$24.35

-29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 DZD 46.91

$1.88 MX$32.87

-81.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 DZD 334

$1.56 MX$27.19

61.54%

Eggs

$1.82 DZD 240

$2.61 MX$45.50

-30.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.65 DZD 482

$8.32 MX$145

-56.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 DZD 910

$8.35 MX$146

-17.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.87 DZD 2,232

$10.86 MX$189

55.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 DZD 576

$2.71 MX$47.31

60.52%

Banana (1kg)

$3.76 DZD 498

$1.51 MX$26.25

149.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 DZD 226

$1.87 MX$32.67

-8.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 DZD 150

$2.19 MX$38.19

-48.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 DZD 90.4

$1.86 MX$32.40

-63.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 DZD 83.7

$2.23 MX$38.90

-71.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 DZD 86.8

$1.07 MX$18.63

-38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 DZD 42.63

$1.09 MX$18.94

-70.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 DZD 305

$4.19 MX$73.0

-44.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 DZD 900

$10.43 MX$182

-34.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 DZD 172

$1.66 MX$28.91

-21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 DZD 276

$2.61 MX$45.56

-19.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 DZD 17.80

$0.54 MX$9.45

-75.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.38 DZD 2,300

$26.16 MX$456

-33.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 DZD 101

$3.08 MX$53.7

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 DZD 36.71

$2.40 MX$41.94

-88.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 DZD 829

$3.13 MX$54.5

100.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 DZD 46.30

$1.31 MX$22.87

-73.28%

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

$29.0K DZD 3.8M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-2.67%

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

$55.4K DZD 7.3M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

137.54%

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

$41.14 DZD 5,445

$81.3 MX$1,418

-49.38%

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

$9.13 DZD 1,208

$22.56 MX$393

-59.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.71 DZD 2,608

$30.05 MX$524

-34.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.03 DZD 2,386

$52.9 MX$923

-65.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 DZD 725

$4.92 MX$85.8

11.38%

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

$94.2 DZD 12.5K

$201 MX$3,502

-53.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,647 DZD 482.7K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-29.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.14 DZD 3,724

$35.92 MX$627

-21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.86 DZD 6,202

$40.13 MX$700

16.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.7 DZD 7,508

$79.7 MX$1,390

-28.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 DZD 9,401

$86.5 MX$1,508

-17.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 DZD 16.8K

$978 MX$17.1K

-87.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.0 DZD 9,265

$470 MX$8,206

-85.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 DZD 23.5K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-89.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 DZD 15.5K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-90.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$443 DZD 58.6K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-88.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$294 DZD 38.9K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-95.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 DZD 46.8K

$677 MX$11.8K

-47.75%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Laghouat and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 91% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 121% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 91% 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: $127 in Laghouat versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $571 per month in Laghouat versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 51% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $571 in Laghouat versus $1,260 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 121% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.