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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $621 in Boumerdes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $941 in Boumerdes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,262 in Boumerdes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 109% more than Boumerdes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Boumerdes are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Boumerdes 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.17 DZD 421

270.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$23.82 DZD 3,162

74.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.63 DZD 482

193.11%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$0.52 DZD 69.6

576.92%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.54 DZD 71.4

179.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.21 DZD 27.83

361.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.92 DZD 254

53.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.33 DZD 310

90.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.03 DZD 137

33.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.13 DZD 17.47

1353.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.73 DZD 230

-5.20%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.40 DZD 186

79.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.12 DZD 1,210

-8.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.25 DZD 697

58.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$16.38 DZD 2,173

-34.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.05 DZD 405

-14.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.88 DZD 382

-49.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.70 DZD 225

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.54 DZD 72.1

285.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.54 DZD 71.5

229.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.46 DZD 61.0

376.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.72 DZD 96.0

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.27 DZD 35.32

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.71 DZD 360

50.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$6.92 DZD 918

49.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.30 DZD 173

31.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.14 DZD 284

20.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.31 DZD 41.60

64.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$17.59 DZD 2,335

50.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.69 DZD 91.9

372.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.33 DZD 44.25

654.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$5.68 DZD 753

-42.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.37 DZD 48.50

254.05%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$14.2K DZD 1.9M

112.88%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$34.3K DZD 4.5M

-31.61%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$41.38 DZD 5,492

100.27%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$9.18 DZD 1,218

142.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$11.96 DZD 1,588

145.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$23.48 DZD 3,117

119.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$2.02 DZD 268

150.99%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$95.7 DZD 12.7K

109.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,655 DZD 485.1K

42.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$11.78 DZD 1,564

213.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$45.91 DZD 6,093

-13.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$74.7 DZD 9,911

5.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$75.7 DZD 10.1K

14.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$195 DZD 25.9K

398.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$141 DZD 18.7K

231.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$234 DZD 31.0K

601.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$169 DZD 22.4K

621.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,146 DZD 152.0K

244.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,122 DZD 148.9K

479.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 2, 2026

Last update for Boumerdes: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $195 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Boumerdes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $202 – 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 109%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $932 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 23% 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 $42.00 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 $621, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.