Cost of Living Comparison Between Mostaganem and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mostaganem and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $597 per month in Mostaganem vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $953 per month in Mostaganem vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,309 per month in Mostaganem vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mostaganem is about 53% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mostaganem and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mostaganem 56% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 DZD 429

$11.87 MX$204

-72.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.58 DZD 3,125

$42.90 MX$736

-45.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.94 DZD 522

$10.65 MX$183

-63.00%

Cappuccino

$1.02 DZD 136

$3.45 MX$59.2

-70.43%

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

$0.61 DZD 81.4

$1.50 MX$25.81

-59.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.54

$0.95 MX$16.28

-75.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 DZD 252

$3.03 MX$51.9

-37.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 DZD 322

$4.61 MX$79.1

-47.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 DZD 107

$1.38 MX$23.61

-42.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 18.01

$1.85 MX$31.70

-92.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 DZD 180

$1.61 MX$27.65

-15.53%

Eggs

$1.86 DZD 247

$2.59 MX$44.51

-28.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 DZD 806

$8.26 MX$142

-26.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 DZD 544

$8.37 MX$144

-50.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.38 DZD 2,171

$10.66 MX$183

53.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 DZD 420

$2.63 MX$45.12

20.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 DZD 394

$1.49 MX$25.53

99.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 DZD 206

$1.92 MX$32.94

-19.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 DZD 77.4

$2.09 MX$35.81

-72.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 DZD 79.2

$1.86 MX$31.88

-67.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 DZD 60.5

$2.26 MX$38.81

-79.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 DZD 90.1

$1.06 MX$18.23

-35.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.92

$1.09 MX$18.67

-74.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 DZD 352

$4.15 MX$71.2

-35.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 DZD 907

$10.39 MX$178

-34.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 DZD 170

$1.72 MX$29.59

-25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 DZD 288

$2.61 MX$44.85

-16.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 DZD 25.52

$0.54 MX$9.30

-64.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.56 DZD 2,327

$26.94 MX$462

-34.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.27 DZD 35.93

$3.13 MX$53.7

-91.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.66

$2.51 MX$43.09

-86.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 DZD 749

$3.15 MX$54.1

79.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.30 DZD 39.54

$1.27 MX$21.88

-76.38%

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

$36.6K DZD 4.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

20.35%

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

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

42.84%

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

$40.26 DZD 5,336

$83.0 MX$1,425

-51.49%

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

$8.05 DZD 1,067

$22.71 MX$390

-64.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.92 DZD 2,243

$29.46 MX$506

-42.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.95 DZD 3,042

$51.0 MX$875

-55.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 DZD 804

$4.93 MX$84.5

22.92%

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

$95.3 DZD 12.6K

$197 MX$3,386

-51.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,641 DZD 482.6K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-31.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.13 DZD 4,788

$36.90 MX$633

-2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.45 DZD 6,024

$39.89 MX$685

13.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 DZD 10.0K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-5.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 DZD 10.0K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 DZD 25.8K

$956 MX$16.4K

-79.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 DZD 15.3K

$477 MX$8,189

-75.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 DZD 36.5K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-83.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 DZD 24.7K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-84.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,142 DZD 151.3K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-70.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,179 DZD 156.3K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-81.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$234 DZD 31.0K

$667 MX$11.4K

-64.98%

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 Mostaganem: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $195 in Mostaganem versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 186% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Mostaganem versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $250 – making Mostaganem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Mostaganem vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $597 in Mostaganem, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 113% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $896 per month in Mostaganem and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mostaganem, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $597 in Mostaganem and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Mostaganem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mostaganem, where all-in costs run around $597, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Mostaganem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $597 in Mostaganem to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mostaganem. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.