đA single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $562 in Biskra, rent included.
đA couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $917 in Biskra, rent included.
đA family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,272 in Biskra, rent included.
đPlaya del Carmen costs about 129% more than Biskra, driven mainly by Eating Out.
đBoth Playa del Carmen and Biskra are more affordable than the global median â Playa del Carmen4% lower, Biskra58% lower.
Currency
đ˝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Biskra
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$2.96DZDÂ 392
303.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$28.44DZDÂ 3,768
50.32%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$3.84DZDÂ 509
175.78%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$1.36DZDÂ 180
166.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.07DZDÂ 142
37.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.33DZDÂ 44.10
184.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$1.93DZDÂ 255
60.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$2.42DZDÂ 320
84.30%
đ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Biskra
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.39DZDÂ 184
2.88%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.17DZDÂ 22.84
1005.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.38DZDÂ 183
18.12%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$1.41DZDÂ 186
87.23%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$6.53DZDÂ 866
25.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$3.58DZDÂ 474
131.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$19.08DZDÂ 2,529
-41.82%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$3.73DZDÂ 494
-28.95%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$3.47DZDÂ 459
-56.77%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.88DZDÂ 249
5.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$0.77DZDÂ 102
170.13%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$0.76DZDÂ 101
135.53%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$0.46DZDÂ 60.5
373.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.40DZDÂ 53.0
170.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.33DZDÂ 43.49
215.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$3.76DZDÂ 498
5.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$7.21DZDÂ 956
41.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.29DZDÂ 172
34.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.16DZDÂ 287
15.74%
đ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Biskra
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.24DZDÂ 31.88
116.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$17.65DZDÂ 2,339
52.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$1.17DZDÂ 155
168.38%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.36DZDÂ 48.15
566.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$5.38DZDÂ 713
-42.57%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$0.36DZDÂ 48.29
252.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$32.5KDZDÂ 4.3M
-4.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$33.1KDZDÂ 4.4M
-29.49%
đ§ž Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Biskra
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$40.73DZDÂ 5,397
101.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$10.61DZDÂ 1,406
111.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$10.40DZDÂ 1,378
185.19%
đ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Biskra
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$23.13DZDÂ 3,065
124.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$5.39DZDÂ 714
-7.79%
𧸠Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Biskra
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$92.8DZDÂ 12.3K
113.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$3,656DZDÂ 484.4K
44.24%
đđ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Biskra
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$37.25DZDÂ 4,936
-2.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$21.06DZDÂ 2,791
90.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$69.9DZDÂ 9,259
14.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$28.60DZDÂ 3,789
210.77%
đ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Biskra
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$144DZDÂ 19.1K
566.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$107DZDÂ 14.2K
332.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$163DZDÂ 21.6K
879.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$150DZDÂ 19.8K
708.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$416DZDÂ 55.2K
846.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$290DZDÂ 38.4K
2123.94%
đľ Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Biskra
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$232DZDÂ 30.8K
210.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
5.42
110.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Last update for Biskra: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
đ A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $144 in Biskra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
đ°Salaries run about 210% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
đA mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Biskra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $206 â making Biskra 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
Playa del Carmen vs Biskra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Biskra cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes â Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 129%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $843 in Biskra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled â not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Biskra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Biskra?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $562 in Biskra. The difference isn't just one category â it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 53% less in Biskra. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Biskra?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Biskra, where all-in costs run around $562, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Biskra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Biskra more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Biskra â lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Biskra?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison â central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Biskra. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared