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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $569 in Jijel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $911 in Jijel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,254 in Jijel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 124% more than Jijel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jijel are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Jijel 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.55 DZD 338

365.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$23.61 DZD 3,129

81.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.81 DZD 638

121.41%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.99 DZD 131

248.48%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.57 DZD 75.5

163.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.21 DZD 27.73

352.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.94 DZD 257

56.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.33 DZD 309

97.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.95 DZD 126

45.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.13 DZD 17.57

1323.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.37 DZD 182

17.52%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.86 DZD 247

39.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.75 DZD 1,160

-5.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.47 DZD 593

87.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$12.52 DZD 1,660

-14.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.15 DZD 418

-16.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.88 DZD 381

-48.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.41 DZD 187

36.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.74 DZD 98.7

182.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.59 DZD 77.8

215.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.39 DZD 51.1

479.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.40 DZD 52.5

165.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.30 DZD 40.17

263.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.46 DZD 326

68.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.91 DZD 916

50.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.35 DZD 179

27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.08 DZD 276

25.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.22 DZD 28.97

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$17.75 DZD 2,352

51.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.66 DZD 87.9

374.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.22 DZD 29.21

1040.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.64 DZD 748

-44.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.36 DZD 48.37

252.78%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$36.5K DZD 4.8M

-16.86%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$34.1K DZD 4.5M

-30.88%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$39.87 DZD 5,284

108.18%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$6.83 DZD 905

232.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$18.07 DZD 2,396

63.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$17.65 DZD 2,339

188.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.15 DZD 815

-19.84%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$87.0 DZD 11.5K

126.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,413 DZD 187.2K

273.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$36.21 DZD 4,800

1.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$33.66 DZD 4,461

18.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$63.7 DZD 8,446

25.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$68.1 DZD 9,031

31.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$200 DZD 26.5K

378.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$126 DZD 16.6K

279.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$271 DZD 35.9K

508.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$186 DZD 24.7K

557.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$786 DZD 104.1K

398.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$420 DZD 55.7K

1437.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$260 DZD 34.5K

156.44%

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 Jijel: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $200 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 run about 156% 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 Jijel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $185 – making Jijel 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 Jijel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 124%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $853 in Jijel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 35% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $24.00 in Jijel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jijel, where all-in costs run around $569, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Jijel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Jijel. 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.