Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in M'Sila: $459 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

22

Cost of Living Index in M'Sila
Learn more

M'Sila Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

M'Sila

🇩🇿 Algeria

$459

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in M'Sila and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in M'Sila and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $459 in M'Sila versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

M'Sila $459
Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $753 in M'Sila versus $2,102 in Playa del Carmen.

M'Sila $753
Playa del Carmen $2,102

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,046 in M'Sila versus $3,000 in Playa del Carmen.

M'Sila $1,046
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Living in M'Sila costs roughly 62% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: M'Sila 66% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 DZD 252

$10.86 MX$201

-82.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.82 DZD 2,520

$44.21 MX$817

-57.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 DZD 496

$11.76 MX$217

-68.54%

Cappuccino

$0.35 DZD 47.31

$3.68 MX$68.0

-90.49%

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

$0.51 DZD 67.8

$1.34 MX$24.79

-61.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 DZD 26.58

$0.82 MX$15.24

-75.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 DZD 290

$3.06 MX$56.6

-29.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 DZD 291

$4.94 MX$91.2

-56.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 DZD 104

$1.47 MX$27.17

-46.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 16.96

$2.22 MX$40.95

-94.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 DZD 155

$1.48 MX$27.32

-22.30%

Eggs

$1.19 DZD 160

$2.49 MX$45.99

-52.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.92 DZD 391

$7.52 MX$139

-61.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 DZD 528

$7.96 MX$147

-50.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.30 DZD 1,245

$12.57 MX$232

-26.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 DZD 280

$2.78 MX$51.3

-24.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 DZD 359

$1.43 MX$26.37

87.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 DZD 143

$2.62 MX$48.37

-59.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 DZD 74.0

$2.14 MX$39.49

-74.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 67.0

$2.02 MX$37.38

-75.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.27 DZD 35.63

$1.99 MX$36.74

-86.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.12 DZD 16.21

$1.14 MX$21.01

-89.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 DZD 33.34

$1.20 MX$22.18

-79.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 DZD 363

$4.26 MX$78.7

-36.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.75 DZD 904

$10.02 MX$185

-32.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 DZD 171

$1.54 MX$28.41

-17.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 DZD 249

$2.66 MX$49.17

-30.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 DZD 32.27

$0.53 MX$9.73

-54.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.53 DZD 874

$27.51 MX$508

-76.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 DZD 73.4

$4.90 MX$90.6

-88.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 DZD 57.5

$3.43 MX$63.5

-87.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 DZD 762

$5.38 MX$99.4

5.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.76

$1.45 MX$26.76

-77.24%

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

$34.9K DZD 4.7M

$21.2K MX$391.0K

65.03%

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

$34.6K DZD 4.6M

$23.0K MX$425.3K

50.14%

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

$23.25 DZD 3,112

$85.4 MX$1,577

-72.76%

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

$7.50 DZD 1,004

$23.46 MX$434

-68.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 DZD 1,665

$28.43 MX$525

-56.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.17 DZD 2,968

$62.2 MX$1,149

-64.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.68 MX$530

Cinema Ticket

$4.36 DZD 584

$5.10 MX$94.3

-14.51%

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

$115 DZD 15.4K

$201 MX$3,715

-42.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,439 DZD 862.1K

$3,947 MX$72.9K

63.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.63 DZD 4,368

$44.39 MX$820

-26.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.92 DZD 4,541

$41.35 MX$764

-17.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 DZD 9,064

$72.7 MX$1,344

-6.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 DZD 10.7K

$89.6 MX$1,656

-10.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$144 DZD 19.2K

$979 MX$18.1K

-85.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.2 DZD 12.3K

$373 MX$6,887

-75.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 DZD 36.1K

$1,681 MX$31.1K

-83.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 DZD 25.7K

$1,095 MX$20.2K

-82.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$961 DZD 128.7K

$3,949 MX$73.0K

-75.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$623 DZD 83.4K

$6,137 MX$113.4K

-89.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 DZD 32.5K

$738 MX$13.6K

-67.12%

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 M'Sila: October 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

M'Sila

$138 30%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5% 87.9% $121

Clothing & Footwear

M'Sila

$96 21%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 15.9% $15

Accommodation & Living

M'Sila

$92 20.1%

Playa del Carmen

$373 31% 304% $281

Eating Out

M'Sila

$48 10.6%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6% 314% $152

Monthly Utilities & Internet

M'Sila

$43 9.4%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 218% $94

Sport & Entertainment

M'Sila

$31 6.7%

Playa del Carmen

$72 6% 134% $42

Getting Around

M'Sila

$10 2.2%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3% 407% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $144 in M'Sila and $979 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 204% 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 $44.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $138 vs $258 per month, with M'Sila cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇩🇿 M'Sila

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

11:52 11:52 AM

05:52 5:52 AM

6 h behind M'Sila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

156,647

149,923

💱 Currency

Algerian Dinar DZD د.ج

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 DZD = 7.47 USD

1,000 DZD = 6.64 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to DZD – Algerian Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇩🇿 Algerian Dinar (د.ج)

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 134 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.47 USD). 1 EUR = 151 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.64 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to DZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

M'Sila Playa del Carmen 8,830 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

M'Sila
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, clothing, and eating out. The 163% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 204% 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: $144 in M'Sila versus $979 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 321% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $115 in M'Sila versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $459 in M'Sila versus $1,204 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 163% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.