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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $618 in Boumerdes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $942 in Boumerdes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,266 in Boumerdes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 103% 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 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.17 DZD 421

278.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$23.43 DZD 3,105

78.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.63 DZD 482

196.14%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.52 DZD 69.5

573.08%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.57 DZD 75.8

154.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.21 DZD 27.76

319.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.94 DZD 257

52.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.34 DZD 310

92.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.95 DZD 126

50.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.13 DZD 17.34

1315.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.74 DZD 231

-9.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.41 DZD 187

78.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.17 DZD 1,215

-9.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.31 DZD 703

58.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$16.61 DZD 2,201

-35.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.22 DZD 427

-18.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.94 DZD 390

-51.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.73 DZD 229

13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.50 DZD 66.2

318.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.49 DZD 65.6

277.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.46 DZD 61.4

371.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.72 DZD 95.2

43.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.29 DZD 38.54

268.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.76 DZD 365

48.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.86 DZD 909

48.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.31 DZD 173

28.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.17 DZD 288

16.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.31 DZD 41.63

64.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$17.31 DZD 2,294

50.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.67 DZD 88.2

382.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.34 DZD 44.99

608.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.71 DZD 757

-43.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.33 DZD 44.36

300.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$14.2K DZD 1.9M

108.73%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-29.92%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$40.58 DZD 5,377

102.09%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.21 DZD 1,221

149.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$11.80 DZD 1,564

155.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$23.39 DZD 3,100

122.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$2.04 DZD 271

144.12%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$95.8 DZD 12.7K

106.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,647 DZD 483.3K

46.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$11.84 DZD 1,568

200.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$45.46 DZD 6,025

-11.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$76.2 DZD 10.1K

3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$76.4 DZD 10.1K

16.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$197 DZD 26.0K

381.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$142 DZD 18.8K

234.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$239 DZD 31.7K

587.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$168 DZD 22.3K

619.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,124 DZD 149.0K

260.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,125 DZD 149.0K

475.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Boumerdes: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $197 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 $23.00 in Boumerdes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $204 – 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 103%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $927 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 22% 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 $23.00 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 $618, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.