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: $475 in M'Sila versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $795 in M'Sila versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,115 in M'Sila versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in M'Sila costs roughly 64% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: M'Sila 65% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.00 DZD 265

$13.02 MX$221

-84.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.28 DZD 2,555

$46.25 MX$784

-58.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.86 DZD 512

$12.59 MX$213

-69.34%

Cappuccino

$0.40 DZD 53.2

$4.00 MX$67.9

-90.00%

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

$0.53 DZD 69.8

$1.42 MX$24.08

-62.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 DZD 26.82

$0.81 MX$13.73

-75.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 DZD 304

$3.05 MX$51.7

-24.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 DZD 303

$6.82 MX$116

-66.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 DZD 109

$1.71 MX$29.04

-52.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 17.85

$2.22 MX$37.62

-94.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 DZD 154

$1.72 MX$29.13

-32.56%

Eggs

$1.36 DZD 181

$2.71 MX$45.99

-49.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 DZD 402

$9.37 MX$159

-67.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 DZD 549

$8.86 MX$150

-53.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 DZD 1,294

$12.78 MX$217

-23.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 DZD 344

$3.13 MX$53.0

-16.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 DZD 369

$1.55 MX$26.24

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 DZD 170

$2.15 MX$36.51

-40.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 DZD 72.5

$2.35 MX$39.89

-76.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 DZD 69.4

$2.02 MX$34.23

-74.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 DZD 41.61

$1.99 MX$33.67

-84.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.12 DZD 16.16

$1.24 MX$21.09

-90.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 DZD 34.01

$1.19 MX$20.21

-78.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 DZD 356

$4.65 MX$78.8

-42.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.12 DZD 944

$10.47 MX$177

-32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 DZD 174

$1.58 MX$26.82

-17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 DZD 266

$2.92 MX$49.48

-31.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 DZD 20.89

$0.56 MX$9.53

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.50 DZD 729

$29.76 MX$504

-81.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 DZD 73.6

$5.32 MX$90.2

-89.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 DZD 64.8

$3.72 MX$63.0

-86.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 DZD 771

$5.78 MX$97.9

0.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 43.41

$1.55 MX$26.27

-78.71%

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

$36.1K DZD 4.8M

$22.4K MX$379.1K

61.41%

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

$35.5K DZD 4.7M

$25.6K MX$433.3K

38.95%

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

$23.92 DZD 3,171

$89.3 MX$1,513

-73.21%

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

$8.06 DZD 1,069

$23.30 MX$395

-65.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.49 DZD 1,788

$31.72 MX$538

-57.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.81 DZD 2,625

$68.8 MX$1,165

-71.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 DZD 608

$5.06 MX$85.7

-9.29%

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

$120 DZD 15.9K

$222 MX$3,765

-46.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,587 DZD 873.1K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

53.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.57 DZD 4,449

$46.21 MX$783

-27.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.72 DZD 4,734

$44.43 MX$753

-19.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 DZD 9,291

$95.5 MX$1,618

-26.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 DZD 11.3K

$92.5 MX$1,568

-8.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 DZD 19.5K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-86.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.5 DZD 11.7K

$393 MX$6,663

-77.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 DZD 36.7K

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-86.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 DZD 26.6K

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-84.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,154 DZD 152.9K

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-71.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$650 DZD 86.2K

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-90.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 DZD 32.7K

$747 MX$12.7K

-66.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.3

11.6

-54.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for M'Sila: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in M'Sila and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 203% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $277 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 180% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 203% 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: $147 in M'Sila versus $1,069 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 441% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $120 in M'Sila versus $222 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $475 in M'Sila versus $1,330 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 180% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.