Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jijel

For one person, living is cheaper in Jijel: $525 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Jijel, Algeria
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Jijel
🇩🇿 Algeria
$525
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Jijel

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Jijel actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $525 in Jijel, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Jijel $525

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $846 in Jijel, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Jijel $846

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,167 in Jijel, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Jijel $1,167

Playa del Carmen costs about 129% more than Jijel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jijel are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Jijel 61% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Jijel
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$203
$2.35 DZD 316
364.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$27.97 DZD 3,764
55.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$219
$4.28 DZD 576
175.23%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$0.92 DZD 124
314.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.89
$0.59 DZD 79.3
116.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.58
$0.27 DZD 36.32
188.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$2.18 DZD 293
45.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.9
$2.28 DZD 306
116.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Jijel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.20
$0.84 DZD 113
67.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.30
$0.16 DZD 21.06
1287.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.40
$1.11 DZD 149
27.93%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.00
$1.18 DZD 159
113.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$7.86 DZD 1,057
-7.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$3.84 DZD 517
100.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$236
$12.31 DZD 1,656
3.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$2.00 DZD 269
39.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.49
$2.79 DZD 375
-50.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.52
$1.07 DZD 145
138.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.55
$0.67 DZD 89.8
216.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.11
$0.57 DZD 76.4
240.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.13
$0.38 DZD 50.5
397.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.36
$0.38 DZD 51.4
202.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.96
$0.27 DZD 36.44
337.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.0
$2.29 DZD 308
87.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$6.62 DZD 890
50.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.50
$1.23 DZD 165
28.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.76
$1.94 DZD 260
37.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Jijel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$0.22 DZD 29.54
150.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
$6.60 DZD 888
303.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$0.54 DZD 72.0
820.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$0.23 DZD 30.95
1347.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$5.67 DZD 763
-5.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.90
$0.33 DZD 44.30
336.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.0K
$35.8K DZD 4.8M
-42.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.2K
$34.2K DZD 4.6M
-31.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Jijel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,580
$39.10 DZD 5,261
116.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$6.63 DZD 892
253.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$12.27 DZD 1,651
133.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Jijel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$16.46 DZD 2,214
246.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.7
$4.39 DZD 591
17.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Jijel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,848
$82.5 DZD 11.1K
150.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
$1,361 DZD 183.2K
188.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Jijel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$32.23 DZD 4,337
34.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$33.19 DZD 4,466
24.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,382
$60.9 DZD 8,194
21.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,663
$65.1 DZD 8,754
37.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Jijel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.2K
$194 DZD 26.1K
405.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,095
$121 DZD 16.3K
213.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$272 DZD 36.6K
527.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$199 DZD 26.8K
440.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$775 DZD 104.2K
409.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.7K
$392 DZD 52.8K
1470.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Jijel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$248 DZD 33.3K
196.45%
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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Jijel: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Jijel
$121 68.1% $260
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Jijel
$164 35.7% $91
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Jijel
$62 69.6% $141
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Jijel
$58 57.6% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Jijel
$86 22.9% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Jijel
$25 62.5% $42
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Jijel
$9.2 81.8% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $194 in Jijel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Playa del Carmen are about 3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $28 in Jijel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $164 – making Jijel the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇩🇿 Jijel
🕒 Local time
21:51 9:51 PM
03:51 3:51 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
134,839
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 135 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.43 USD). 1 EUR = 150 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.68 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Jijel 8,890 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Jijel

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Jijel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jijel cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 129%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $788 in Jijel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jijel, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $194 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Jijel?
Groceries cost about 56% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Jijel?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $28 in Jijel. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Jijel?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jijel, where all-in costs run around $525, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Jijel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Jijel more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Jijel – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jijel. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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