Cost of Living Comparison Between M'Sila and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between M'Sila and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $545 in M'Sila versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $842 in M'Sila versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,139 in M'Sila versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in M'Sila costs roughly 57% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: M'Sila 59% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 DZD 259

$11.87 MX$204

-83.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.26 DZD 2,552

$42.90 MX$736

-55.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.87 DZD 513

$10.65 MX$183

-63.66%

Cappuccino

$0.41 DZD 54.1

$3.45 MX$59.2

-88.12%

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

$0.52 DZD 68.4

$1.50 MX$25.81

-65.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.56

$0.95 MX$16.28

-77.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 DZD 253

$3.03 MX$51.9

-36.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 DZD 308

$4.61 MX$79.1

-49.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 DZD 110

$1.38 MX$23.61

-39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 17.48

$1.85 MX$31.70

-92.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 DZD 196

$1.61 MX$27.65

-8.07%

Eggs

$1.48 DZD 196

$2.59 MX$44.51

-42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.17 DZD 420

$8.26 MX$142

-61.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 DZD 728

$8.37 MX$144

-34.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 DZD 1,225

$10.66 MX$183

-13.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 DZD 421

$2.63 MX$45.12

20.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 DZD 364

$1.49 MX$25.53

83.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 DZD 228

$1.92 MX$32.94

-10.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 DZD 71.5

$2.09 MX$35.81

-74.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 DZD 64.8

$1.86 MX$31.88

-73.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 DZD 41.15

$2.26 MX$38.81

-86.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.14 DZD 18.91

$1.06 MX$18.23

-86.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 40.17

$1.09 MX$18.67

-72.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 DZD 354

$4.15 MX$71.2

-35.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.78 DZD 899

$10.39 MX$178

-34.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 DZD 178

$1.72 MX$29.59

-21.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 DZD 275

$2.61 MX$44.85

-20.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 DZD 30.34

$0.54 MX$9.30

-57.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.59 DZD 2,331

$26.94 MX$462

-34.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 DZD 93.5

$3.13 MX$53.7

-77.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.84

$2.51 MX$43.09

-86.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 DZD 723

$3.15 MX$54.1

73.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 47.18

$1.27 MX$21.88

-71.65%

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

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

18.36%

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

$33.5K DZD 4.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

42.20%

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

$23.73 DZD 3,145

$83.0 MX$1,425

-71.41%

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

$7.84 DZD 1,039

$22.71 MX$390

-65.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.96 DZD 2,381

$29.46 MX$506

-39.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 DZD 3,049

$51.0 MX$875

-54.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 DZD 804

$4.93 MX$84.5

23.12%

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

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

$197 MX$3,386

-52.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,606 DZD 477.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-31.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.32 DZD 4,814

$36.90 MX$633

-1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.49 DZD 6,029

$39.89 MX$685

14.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 DZD 10.1K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-5.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 DZD 10.3K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-12.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 DZD 26.1K

$956 MX$16.4K

-79.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 DZD 15.5K

$477 MX$8,189

-75.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 DZD 36.6K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-83.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 DZD 24.0K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-85.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,131 DZD 149.9K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-71.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$649 DZD 86.0K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-89.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$251 DZD 33.3K

$667 MX$11.4K

-62.36%

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 M'Sila: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $197 in M'Sila and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 166% 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: $19.00 in M'Sila vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $250 per month, with M'Sila 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

M'Sila vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

M'Sila is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 166% 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: $197 in M'Sila versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in M'Sila runs roughly 53% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $92.8 in M'Sila versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $545 in M'Sila versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in M'Sila but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes M'Sila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, M'Sila 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, M'Sila 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 M'Sila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.