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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $572 in Jijel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $914 in Jijel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,256 in Jijel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 120% 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 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$2.54 DZD 337

361.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$23.43 DZD 3,100

78.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$4.65 DZD 616

126.02%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$0.96 DZD 127

273.96%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.61 DZD 81.2

147.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.23 DZD 30.46

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.89 DZD 251

56.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.43 DZD 321

81.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$0.87 DZD 115

60.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.13 DZD 17.59

1346.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.43 DZD 189

9.09%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.82 DZD 240

43.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$8.81 DZD 1,166

-5.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.58 DZD 606

82.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$12.57 DZD 1,664

-13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$3.22 DZD 426

-15.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.90 DZD 384

-47.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.48 DZD 196

26.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$0.74 DZD 98.6

195.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.59 DZD 77.7

215.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.39 DZD 51.1

471.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.40 DZD 52.3

167.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.28 DZD 36.89

289.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.38 DZD 315

76.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$6.89 DZD 912

51.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.29 DZD 171

28.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.14 DZD 283

21.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.22 DZD 28.96

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$17.48 DZD 2,313

49.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.67 DZD 88.1

359.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.22 DZD 29.18

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$5.67 DZD 750

-44.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.36 DZD 47.69

263.89%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$36.2K DZD 4.8M

-17.65%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

-30.25%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$40.54 DZD 5,366

100.49%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$6.86 DZD 908

228.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$17.86 DZD 2,364

68.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$17.64 DZD 2,335

199.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.06 DZD 802

-18.81%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$87.6 DZD 11.6K

129.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$1,394 DZD 184.5K

271.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$37.40 DZD 4,950

-3.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$33.21 DZD 4,395

20.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$63.2 DZD 8,368

26.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$65.9 DZD 8,716

31.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$199 DZD 26.4K

390.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$127 DZD 16.8K

270.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$273 DZD 36.2K

503.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$181 DZD 23.9K

566.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$791 DZD 104.7K

399.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$414 DZD 54.8K

1495.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$252 DZD 33.4K

168.13%

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 Jijel: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $199 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 168% 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 Jijel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 120%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $859 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 36% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $23.00 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 $572, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.