Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hassi Messaoud Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hassi Messaoud

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $623 in Hassi Messaoud, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $989 in Hassi Messaoud, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,356 in Hassi Messaoud, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 102% more than Hassi Messaoud, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Hassi Messaoud are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Hassi Messaoud 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.20 DZD 423

266.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$23.41 DZD 3,095

78.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.92 DZD 519

168.11%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$0.76 DZD 101

372.37%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.56 DZD 74.5

169.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.23 DZD 30.49

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.90 DZD 251

55.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.35 DZD 310

87.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.99 DZD 131

41.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.15 DZD 19.26

1153.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.59 DZD 210

-1.89%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.79 DZD 237

45.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.93 DZD 1,180

-6.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.22 DZD 690

59.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$16.81 DZD 2,222

-35.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.10 DZD 409

-12.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.82 DZD 373

-46.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.76 DZD 233

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.75 DZD 98.7

192.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.55 DZD 72.5

238.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.50 DZD 66.1

346.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.65 DZD 85.7

64.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.28 DZD 36.76

289.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.77 DZD 366

51.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.78 DZD 897

53.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.30 DZD 172

27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.16 DZD 285

20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.25 DZD 33.09

116.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$17.74 DZD 2,345

47.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.65 DZD 85.7

373.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.37 DZD 48.56

548.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.32 DZD 703

-41.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.36 DZD 47.63

263.89%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$32.4K DZD 4.3M

-8.12%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.1K DZD 4.5M

-31.53%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$40.94 DZD 5,413

98.53%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$9.62 DZD 1,272

134.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$16.96 DZD 2,243

77.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$23.10 DZD 3,055

129.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$2.58 DZD 341

612.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.37 DZD 711

-8.38%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$94.4 DZD 12.5K

112.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,536 DZD 467.6K

46.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$36.52 DZD 4,829

-1.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$46.02 DZD 6,085

-12.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$73.7 DZD 9,745

8.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$75.9 DZD 10.0K

13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$195 DZD 25.8K

402.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$115 DZD 15.2K

308.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$276 DZD 36.4K

499.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$181 DZD 24.0K

563.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,258 DZD 166.3K

214.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,287 DZD 170.2K

413.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$415 DZD 54.8K

63.13%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Hassi Messaoud: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $195 in Hassi Messaoud. 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 63% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Hassi Messaoud. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $204 – making Hassi Messaoud 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 Hassi Messaoud: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $623 in Hassi Messaoud – roughly 102% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $935 in Hassi Messaoud. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 47% less in Hassi Messaoud. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $94.4 in Hassi Messaoud. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hassi Messaoud, where all-in costs run around $623, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Hassi Messaoud it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $623 in Hassi Messaoud to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Hassi Messaoud. 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.