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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $663 in Algiers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,055 in Algiers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,447 in Algiers.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Algiers 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$3.16 DZD 422

271.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$23.74 DZD 3,164

75.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$4.82 DZD 642

115.98%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.03 DZD 137

250.49%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$0.56 DZD 75.0

160.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.21 DZD 27.92

361.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$1.98 DZD 263

47.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$2.35 DZD 313

96.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.04 DZD 138

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$0.16 DZD 20.69

1087.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$1.75 DZD 233

-10.29%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$1.81 DZD 241

45.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$9.13 DZD 1,217

-7.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$5.54 DZD 738

54.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$16.41 DZD 2,187

-32.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$3.17 DZD 423

-14.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$2.84 DZD 378

-46.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$1.76 DZD 234

8.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$0.90 DZD 120

141.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$0.59 DZD 78.8

216.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$0.47 DZD 62.6

374.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$0.73 DZD 97.1

47.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.30 DZD 40.55

256.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$2.77 DZD 369

50.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$7.14 DZD 952

44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$1.36 DZD 181

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$2.15 DZD 287

17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$0.33 DZD 44.50

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

$11.76 DZD 1,567

123.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$0.71 DZD 94.3

350.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$0.36 DZD 48.12

583.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$5.62 DZD 749

-43.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$0.37 DZD 48.79

256.76%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

-16.18%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$33.2K DZD 4.4M

-29.53%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$40.43 DZD 5,388

101.21%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$9.30 DZD 1,239

140.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$17.52 DZD 2,334

71.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$25.18 DZD 3,356

104.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$22.95 DZD 3,058

-19.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$6.10 DZD 813

-15.41%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$93.7 DZD 12.5K

115.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$3,609 DZD 481.0K

47.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$37.28 DZD 4,968

-4.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$46.01 DZD 6,131

-12.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$76.2 DZD 10.2K

3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$76.0 DZD 10.1K

14.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$224 DZD 29.9K

323.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$151 DZD 20.1K

216.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$430 DZD 57.3K

277.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$263 DZD 35.1K

364.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$2,566 DZD 342.0K

56.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$1,381 DZD 184.1K

368.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

$335 DZD 44.7K

100.76%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Algiers: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $224 in Algiers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 101% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $24.00 in Algiers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $210 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.

Average pay runs 101% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $224 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 $24.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $663 in Algiers – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $663 in Algiers versus $1,294 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.