Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bordj Bou Arreridj Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bordj Bou Arreridj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $506 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $786 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,066 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 150% more than Bordj Bou Arreridj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bordj Bou Arreridj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Bordj Bou Arreridj 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.27 DZD 303

411.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$7.63 DZD 1,019

517.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.69 DZD 493

221.95%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$0.44 DZD 59.0

804.55%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.58 DZD 77.1

146.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.28 DZD 36.82

192.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$0.75 DZD 101

325.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.29 DZD 305

196.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.91 DZD 122

84.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.08 DZD 10.05

2650.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.81 DZD 108

111.11%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.34 DZD 179

104.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.95 DZD 928

37.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.02 DZD 536

124.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.69 DZD 1,962

-12.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.12 DZD 283

36.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.41 DZD 322

-37.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.15 DZD 154

86.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.99 DZD 133

128.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.63 DZD 84.5

214.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.50 DZD 67.2

298.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.83 DZD 110

48.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.28 DZD 37.52

328.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.72 DZD 363

67.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.14 DZD 953

45.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.26 DZD 168

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.01 DZD 269

43.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.19 DZD 25.93

215.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$7.21 DZD 963

299.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.60 DZD 80.5

798.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.49 DZD 65.5

661.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$5.75 DZD 768

0.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.33 DZD 44.74

366.67%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.8K DZD 4.9M

-38.70%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$35.1K DZD 4.7M

-25.82%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$45.95 DZD 6,138

98.87%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$8.10 DZD 1,081

211.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$12.81 DZD 1,711

143.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$13.82 DZD 1,846

386.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.74 DZD 633

2.53%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$63.0 DZD 8,414

255.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$6,479 DZD 865.4K

-34.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$33.66 DZD 4,497

39.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$35.26 DZD 4,710

25.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$35.49 DZD 4,741

125.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$55.5 DZD 7,412

67.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$157 DZD 21.0K

575.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$109 DZD 14.6K

258.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$283 DZD 37.7K

660.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$208 DZD 27.7K

512.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,310 DZD 175.0K

205.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$310 DZD 41.4K

1996.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$351 DZD 46.9K

116.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.3

116.04%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bordj Bou Arreridj: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $157 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. 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 116% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $8.00 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $172 – making Bordj Bou Arreridj 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 Bordj Bou Arreridj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 150% more than Bordj Bou Arreridj, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $759 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $8.00 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $506 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bordj Bou Arreridj, where all-in costs run around $506, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Bordj Bou Arreridj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bordj Bou Arreridj costs $506 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bordj Bou Arreridj. 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.