Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bordj Bou Arreridj: $468 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Bordj Bou Arreridj
🇩🇿 Algeria
$468
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Bordj Bou Arreridj

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Bordj Bou Arreridj actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $468 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Bordj Bou Arreridj $468

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $734 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Bordj Bou Arreridj $734

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,000 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Bordj Bou Arreridj $1,000

Playa del Carmen costs about 157% more than Bordj Bou Arreridj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bordj Bou Arreridj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Bordj Bou Arreridj 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$203
$2.21 DZD 298
394.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$805
$7.31 DZD 988
493.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$219
$3.68 DZD 497
220.11%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$70.7
$0.41 DZD 55.3
829.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.81
$0.55 DZD 74.1
132.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.54
$0.29 DZD 39.67
168.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$58.8
$0.72 DZD 97.7
340.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.7
$2.26 DZD 305
118.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.12
$0.83 DZD 113
69.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.17
$0.07 DZD 10.01
3071.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.32
$0.74 DZD 99.7
91.89%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$46.85
$1.23 DZD 166
104.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$6.80 DZD 920
6.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$3.93 DZD 532
95.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$236
$14.27 DZD 1,929
-11.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.7
$2.09 DZD 283
33.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.41
$2.25 DZD 305
-39.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.37
$1.06 DZD 144
140.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.43
$0.95 DZD 129
123.16%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.00
$0.61 DZD 82.5
218.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.02
$0.45 DZD 61.0
320.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.29
$0.76 DZD 103
51.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.89
$0.25 DZD 33.63
372.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$79.8
$2.71 DZD 366
58.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$6.78 DZD 916
46.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.41
$1.26 DZD 170
25.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.60
$1.95 DZD 263
36.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.28
$0.23 DZD 31.67
139.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$494
$6.00 DZD 811
343.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.3
$0.55 DZD 73.7
803.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$61.9
$0.47 DZD 63.9
608.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.5
$5.73 DZD 774
-6.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.82
$0.33 DZD 44.17
336.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$383.8K
$35.7K DZD 4.8M
-42.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$435.8K
$33.7K DZD 4.5M
-30.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,575
$44.51 DZD 6,016
90.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$435
$7.55 DZD 1,020
210.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$532
$12.37 DZD 1,672
131.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,059
$13.40 DZD 1,811
325.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$537
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.4
$4.50 DZD 608
14.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,836
$60.3 DZD 8,150
242.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$72.9K
$6,275 DZD 848.1K
-37.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$805
$32.24 DZD 4,357
34.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$770
$34.17 DZD 4,619
21.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,378
$34.30 DZD 4,637
116.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,657
$53.9 DZD 7,283
65.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.2K
$146 DZD 19.7K
572.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,072
$91.1 DZD 12.3K
318.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.7K
$267 DZD 36.1K
539.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$193 DZD 26.1K
456.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.2K
$963 DZD 130.1K
309.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.4K
$1,058 DZD 143.0K
481.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.6K
$337 DZD 45.6K
117.87%
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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bordj Bou Arreridj: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Bordj Bou Arreridj
$91 76.1% $290
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Bordj Bou Arreridj
$165 35.1% $89
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Bordj Bou Arreridj
$45 77.7% $157
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Bordj Bou Arreridj
$64 52.9% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Bordj Bou Arreridj
$70 37.7% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Bordj Bou Arreridj
$22 66.7% $45
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Bordj Bou Arreridj
$9.9 80.5% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $146 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 in Playa del Carmen are about 2.2 times higher, 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $7 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $165 – making Bordj Bou Arreridj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇩🇿 Bordj Bou Arreridj
🕒 Local time
03:52 3:52 AM
09:52 9:52 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
168,346
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.57 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.79 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 135 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.4 USD). 1 EUR = 151 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.61 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Bordj Bou Arreridj 8,830 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Bordj Bou Arreridj

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Bordj Bou Arreridj?
Playa del Carmen costs about 157% more than Bordj Bou Arreridj, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Bordj Bou Arreridj?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $702 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Bordj Bou Arreridj?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bordj Bou Arreridj, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $146 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Bordj Bou Arreridj?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $7 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Bordj Bou Arreridj?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $468 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. That makes Bordj Bou Arreridj about 61% cheaper.
Can you live on $800/month in Playa del Carmen or in Bordj Bou Arreridj?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bordj Bou Arreridj, where all-in costs run around $468, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Bordj Bou Arreridj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Bordj Bou Arreridj – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Bordj Bou Arreridj?
If budget matters most, go with Bordj Bou Arreridj. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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