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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $611 in Hassi Messaoud, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $988 in Hassi Messaoud, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,365 in Hassi Messaoud, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 111% 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 4% lower, Hassi Messaoud 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.23 DZD 428

269.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$23.34 DZD 3,093

83.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.95 DZD 523

168.10%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.72 DZD 95.6

402.78%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.57 DZD 75.9

157.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.21 DZD 27.80

347.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.92 DZD 254

60.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.32 DZD 308

92.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.00 DZD 132

43.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.16 DZD 21.30

1075.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.58 DZD 210

3.16%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.87 DZD 248

41.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.07 DZD 1,202

-9.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.42 DZD 719

52.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$16.20 DZD 2,147

-31.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.05 DZD 404

-13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.97 DZD 393

-49.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.71 DZD 226

16.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.74 DZD 98.2

181.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.55 DZD 73.4

225.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.50 DZD 66.6

336.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.65 DZD 86.4

66.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.28 DZD 36.65

271.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.72 DZD 360

45.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.96 DZD 923

46.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.33 DZD 176

30.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.07 DZD 274

20.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.23 DZD 30.30

126.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$17.22 DZD 2,281

56.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.66 DZD 87.6

375.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.34 DZD 44.44

605.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$5.40 DZD 715

-42.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.37 DZD 48.63

243.24%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.7K DZD 4.3M

-5.66%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

-30.18%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$40.30 DZD 5,340

103.50%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.66 DZD 1,280

132.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$16.67 DZD 2,208

77.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$23.25 DZD 3,081

123.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$2.58 DZD 342

623.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.31 DZD 704

-6.40%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$93.1 DZD 12.3K

112.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,549 DZD 470.2K

48.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$36.12 DZD 4,786

0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$45.22 DZD 5,992

-11.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$73.8 DZD 9,776

8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$77.3 DZD 10.2K

15.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$197 DZD 26.2K

388.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$115 DZD 15.3K

302.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$276 DZD 36.6K

478.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$181 DZD 24.0K

566.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$431 DZD 57.1K

67.05%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Hassi Messaoud: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $197 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 67% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Hassi Messaoud. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $205 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $611 in Hassi Messaoud – roughly 111% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $916 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 57% less in Hassi Messaoud. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $93.1 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 $611, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $611 in Hassi Messaoud to $1,287 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.