Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Boumerdes Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Boumerdes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $548 in Boumerdes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $890 in Boumerdes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,231 in Boumerdes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 136% more than Boumerdes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Boumerdes are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Boumerdes 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.39 DZD 449

245.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$24.01 DZD 3,183

94.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$3.48 DZD 461

234.77%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$0.54 DZD 71.5

657.41%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.54 DZD 71.2

153.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.28 DZD 37.22

196.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.29 DZD 304

46.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.34 DZD 310

195.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$0.92 DZD 122

88.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.14 DZD 18.19

1514.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.14 DZD 150

55.26%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.39 DZD 184

96.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$8.11 DZD 1,075

13.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.21 DZD 558

111.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$15.15 DZD 2,008

-16.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.17 DZD 288

39.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$2.92 DZD 387

-46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$1.12 DZD 148

90.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$0.51 DZD 67.5

343.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$0.50 DZD 66.3

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.48 DZD 63.1

329.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.79 DZD 105

49.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.28 DZD 37.42

328.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$2.73 DZD 362

69.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$6.88 DZD 912

55.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.29 DZD 171

25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$1.94 DZD 258

48.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.29 DZD 38.40

96.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$7.24 DZD 960

312.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.57 DZD 75.2

856.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.48 DZD 63.8

670.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$5.69 DZD 754

5.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.35 DZD 45.79

342.86%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$14.2K DZD 1.9M

57.62%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$35.5K DZD 4.7M

-26.82%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$45.99 DZD 6,097

93.80%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$10.86 DZD 1,439

130.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$11.96 DZD 1,585

163.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$18.24 DZD 2,419

271.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$1.96 DZD 260

157.65%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$104 DZD 13.8K

116.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$6,540 DZD 867.0K

-35.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$11.96 DZD 1,586

296.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$35.49 DZD 4,704

26.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$72.7 DZD 9,633

12.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$84.0 DZD 11.1K

9.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$160 DZD 21.2K

567.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$108 DZD 14.3K

275.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$285 DZD 37.8K

579.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$210 DZD 27.8K

519.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,294 DZD 171.5K

208.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$745 DZD 98.8K

788.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Boumerdes: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $160 in Boumerdes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Boumerdes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $180 – making Boumerdes 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 Boumerdes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 136%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $822 in Boumerdes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 54% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $24.00 in Boumerdes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Boumerdes, where all-in costs run around $548, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Boumerdes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Boumerdes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Boumerdes. 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.