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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $605 in Ouargla versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $962 in Ouargla versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,319 in Ouargla versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ouargla costs roughly 52% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ouargla 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 DZD 413

$11.72 MX$204

-73.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.79 DZD 3,149

$41.89 MX$731

-43.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 DZD 524

$10.51 MX$183

-62.32%

Cappuccino

$0.73 DZD 96.8

$3.59 MX$62.5

-79.67%

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

$0.57 DZD 75.4

$1.51 MX$26.31

-62.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.75

$0.92 MX$15.96

-77.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 DZD 263

$2.96 MX$51.6

-32.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 DZD 317

$4.41 MX$76.9

-45.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 DZD 138

$1.40 MX$24.35

-25.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 18.12

$1.88 MX$32.87

-92.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 DZD 210

$1.56 MX$27.19

1.92%

Eggs

$1.80 DZD 238

$2.61 MX$45.50

-31.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 DZD 1,213

$8.32 MX$145

10.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.41 DZD 716

$8.35 MX$146

-35.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 DZD 2,212

$10.86 MX$189

53.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 DZD 409

$2.71 MX$47.31

14.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 DZD 378

$1.51 MX$26.25

89.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 DZD 227

$1.87 MX$32.67

-8.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 DZD 104

$2.19 MX$38.19

-63.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 DZD 73.5

$1.86 MX$32.40

-69.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 DZD 60.7

$2.23 MX$38.90

-79.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 DZD 80.8

$1.07 MX$18.63

-42.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 40.17

$1.09 MX$18.94

-72.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 DZD 359

$4.19 MX$73.0

-35.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 DZD 805

$10.43 MX$182

-41.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 DZD 178

$1.66 MX$28.91

-19.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 DZD 284

$2.61 MX$45.56

-17.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.35

$0.54 MX$9.45

-53.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.67 DZD 2,338

$26.16 MX$456

-32.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 DZD 87.3

$3.08 MX$53.7

-78.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 DZD 48.25

$2.40 MX$41.94

-85.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 DZD 685

$3.13 MX$54.5

65.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 48.06

$1.31 MX$22.87

-72.52%

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

$32.9K DZD 4.3M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

10.25%

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

$33.3K DZD 4.4M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

42.84%

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

$40.44 DZD 5,352

$81.3 MX$1,418

-50.25%

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

$9.28 DZD 1,228

$22.56 MX$393

-58.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.12 DZD 2,266

$30.05 MX$524

-43.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.22 DZD 3,073

$52.9 MX$923

-56.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$5.50 DZD 728

$4.92 MX$85.8

11.79%

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

$92.6 DZD 12.3K

$201 MX$3,502

-53.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,603 DZD 476.8K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-30.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.59 DZD 4,842

$35.92 MX$627

1.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.57 DZD 6,031

$40.13 MX$700

13.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 DZD 10.0K

$79.7 MX$1,390

-5.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 DZD 10.2K

$86.5 MX$1,508

-10.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 DZD 25.9K

$978 MX$17.1K

-79.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 DZD 15.4K

$470 MX$8,206

-75.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 DZD 36.6K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-83.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 DZD 24.5K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-84.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,259 DZD 166.7K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-68.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 DZD 148.5K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-83.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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 Ouargla: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in Ouargla and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Ouargla vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $252 per month, with Ouargla 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

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

Ouargla wins on cost – living expenses run 108% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ouargla the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $907 in Ouargla and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $196 in Ouargla versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ouargla runs roughly 48% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $92.6 in Ouargla versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $605 in Ouargla versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ouargla but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ouargla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ouargla delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $605 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ouargla hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ouargla 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 Ouargla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.