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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $659 in Algiers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,061 in Algiers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,462 in Algiers.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 95% more expensive than Algiers, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Algiers 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.20 DZD 424

273.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$23.36 DZD 3,096

83.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.83 DZD 639

119.25%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.03 DZD 136

251.46%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.62 DZD 81.6

137.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.23 DZD 30.51

308.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.92 DZD 255

60.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.33 DZD 309

91.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.00 DZD 133

43.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.16 DZD 20.71

1075.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.82 DZD 241

-10.44%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.80 DZD 238

46.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.96 DZD 1,187

-8.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.40 DZD 716

53.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$16.21 DZD 2,148

-31.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.09 DZD 410

-14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.90 DZD 384

-48.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.72 DZD 228

15.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.93 DZD 123

123.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.64 DZD 84.9

179.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.49 DZD 65.4

344.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.67 DZD 88.5

61.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.30 DZD 39.95

246.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.80 DZD 371

41.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.87 DZD 910

48.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.28 DZD 170

35.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.16 DZD 286

15.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.33 DZD 44.23

57.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$11.73 DZD 1,555

129.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.66 DZD 87.1

375.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.37 DZD 48.59

548.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$5.69 DZD 754

-45.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.36 DZD 48.34

252.78%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$36.1K DZD 4.8M

-14.53%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

-30.11%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$39.90 DZD 5,287

105.54%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.25 DZD 1,225

142.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$18.01 DZD 2,387

64.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$24.77 DZD 3,283

109.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$22.36 DZD 2,963

-16.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.03 DZD 799

-17.58%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$92.7 DZD 12.3K

113.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,598 DZD 476.7K

46.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$36.81 DZD 4,877

-1.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$44.66 DZD 5,917

-10.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$74.7 DZD 9,900

6.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$78.6 DZD 10.4K

13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$225 DZD 29.8K

327.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$149 DZD 19.7K

212.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$434 DZD 57.5K

267.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$258 DZD 34.1K

369.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,614 DZD 346.4K

50.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,433 DZD 189.9K

350.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$340 DZD 45.1K

111.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.42

110.70%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Algiers: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $225 in Algiers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 112% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $23.00 in Algiers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $207 per month, with Algiers 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

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

Algiers is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 112% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $225 in Algiers. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Algiers – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $659 in Algiers – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $659 in Algiers versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Algiers but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Algiers the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Algiers 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, Playa del Carmen and Algiers 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 Algiers gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.