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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $537 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $821 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,105 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 137% 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 5% lower, Bordj Bou Arreridj 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.39 DZD 317

396.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$7.90 DZD 1,047

443.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.68 DZD 488

189.40%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.41 DZD 54.5

741.46%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.57 DZD 76.1

163.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.23 DZD 30.50

313.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$0.75 DZD 99.0

304.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.42 DZD 321

90.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.04 DZD 138

32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.08 DZD 11.11

2212.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.74 DZD 98.7

117.57%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.68 DZD 223

54.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.96 DZD 922

18.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.24 DZD 695

59.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$16.21 DZD 2,149

-34.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.11 DZD 412

-15.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.30 DZD 305

-35.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.70 DZD 225

12.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.85 DZD 113

145.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.63 DZD 83.9

195.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.50 DZD 66.5

352.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.72 DZD 94.9

47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.28 DZD 36.69

289.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.78 DZD 369

49.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.08 DZD 939

46.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.29 DZD 171

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.10 DZD 278

24.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.25 DZD 33.24

116.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$17.67 DZD 2,341

52.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.65 DZD 85.8

381.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.37 DZD 48.62

578.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.58 DZD 740

-43.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.34 DZD 44.93

273.53%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$36.3K DZD 4.8M

-16.41%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

-28.77%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$40.43 DZD 5,359

105.29%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$7.96 DZD 1,054

185.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$18.15 DZD 2,406

62.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$13.89 DZD 1,840

267.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.07 DZD 805

-18.78%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$62.5 DZD 8,288

215.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,570 DZD 473.2K

47.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$35.18 DZD 4,662

4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$39.28 DZD 5,205

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$34.65 DZD 4,592

130.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$54.7 DZD 7,247

63.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$196 DZD 26.0K

387.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$113 DZD 15.0K

320.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$275 DZD 36.4K

499.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$182 DZD 24.1K

574.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,131 DZD 149.9K

246.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,122 DZD 148.7K

475.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$346 DZD 45.9K

92.61%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Bordj Bou Arreridj: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $196 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 93% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $8.00 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $191 – 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 137% 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $806 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 $43.00 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $537 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 $537, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $537 versus $1,271 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.