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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $622 in Hassi Messaoud, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $982 in Hassi Messaoud, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,341 in Hassi Messaoud, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 104% 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 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.12 DZD 414

280.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$23.87 DZD 3,163

79.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.01 DZD 531

165.59%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.72 DZD 96.0

379.17%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.56 DZD 74.6

167.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.23 DZD 30.49

313.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.01 DZD 266

50.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.30 DZD 305

100.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.00 DZD 132

38.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.17 DZD 22.05

988.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.55 DZD 206

3.87%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.80 DZD 239

43.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.27 DZD 1,228

-10.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.34 DZD 708

56.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$16.21 DZD 2,148

-34.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.20 DZD 424

-17.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.87 DZD 380

-48.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.77 DZD 235

8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.75 DZD 99.1

178.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.58 DZD 77.4

220.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.50 DZD 65.7

352.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.64 DZD 85.5

65.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.28 DZD 36.93

289.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.67 DZD 354

55.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.89 DZD 913

50.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.29 DZD 171

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.18 DZD 288

19.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.25 DZD 33.39

116.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$17.23 DZD 2,284

56.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.70 DZD 93.2

347.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.37 DZD 48.38

578.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.41 DZD 717

-41.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.34 DZD 44.80

273.53%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$32.7K DZD 4.3M

-7.17%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$34.1K DZD 4.5M

-30.87%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$40.50 DZD 5,368

104.94%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$9.15 DZD 1,213

148.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$16.91 DZD 2,242

74.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$23.75 DZD 3,147

114.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$2.44 DZD 323

651.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.47 DZD 725

-9.87%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$95.6 DZD 12.7K

106.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,600 DZD 477.1K

46.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$36.72 DZD 4,867

0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$45.05 DZD 5,970

-11.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$75.6 DZD 10.0K

5.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$76.5 DZD 10.1K

16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$194 DZD 25.8K

391.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$114 DZD 15.1K

319.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$270 DZD 35.8K

508.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$187 DZD 24.7K

556.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,119 DZD 148.3K

250.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,117 DZD 148.0K

478.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$411 DZD 54.4K

62.40%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Hassi Messaoud: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $194 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 62% 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 $24.00 in Hassi Messaoud. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $622 in Hassi Messaoud – roughly 104% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $933 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 56% less in Hassi Messaoud. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $95.6 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 $622, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $622 in Hassi Messaoud to $1,271 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.