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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $553 in Guelma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $881 in Guelma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,208 in Guelma.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 129% more expensive than in Guelma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Guelma 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.19 DZD 425

263.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$17.03 DZD 2,266

176.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.08 DZD 544

191.18%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$0.74 DZD 98.9

437.84%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.66 DZD 88.0

116.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.30 DZD 40.29

173.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.53 DZD 204

108.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.12 DZD 283

220.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$0.91 DZD 121

84.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.14 DZD 19.07

1471.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.15 DZD 153

48.70%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.39 DZD 185

97.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.22 DZD 1,094

16.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.05 DZD 539

122.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.66 DZD 1,952

-12.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.19 DZD 291

31.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$2.84 DZD 377

-47.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.12 DZD 148

91.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$0.93 DZD 124

143.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.65 DZD 86.2

204.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.51 DZD 68.0

290.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.71 DZD 94.5

73.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.26 DZD 34.53

361.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.75 DZD 366

65.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.90 DZD 918

50.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.13 DZD 151

43.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.94 DZD 259

48.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.17 DZD 22.74

252.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$6.02 DZD 802

378.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.59 DZD 78.6

813.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.42 DZD 56.1

788.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$5.04 DZD 671

14.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.36 DZD 48.39

327.78%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$36.3K DZD 4.8M

-37.85%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$35.7K DZD 4.8M

-27.03%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$38.32 DZD 5,100

138.47%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$9.03 DZD 1,202

179.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$12.46 DZD 1,658

150.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$20.91 DZD 2,783

221.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.58 DZD 609

6.11%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$100 DZD 13.3K

123.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$3,647 DZD 485.5K

15.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$32.92 DZD 4,382

43.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$35.23 DZD 4,689

25.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$70.1 DZD 9,325

14.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$76.3 DZD 10.2K

21.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$158 DZD 21.1K

571.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$106 DZD 14.1K

268.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$283 DZD 37.7K

659.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$210 DZD 28.0K

505.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$1,275 DZD 169.7K

213.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$387 DZD 51.5K

1581.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$314 DZD 41.7K

141.81%

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Guelma: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $158 in Guelma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 142% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $17.00 in Guelma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $179 per month, with Guelma cheaper across the board.

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 Guelma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Guelma differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $553 including rent). Guelma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 142% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $158 in Guelma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Guelma – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $553 in Guelma versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Guelma but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Guelma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Guelma are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Guelma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.