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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $568 in Jijel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $912 in Jijel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,255 in Jijel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 122% more than Jijel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jijel are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Jijel 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$2.48 DZD 328

370.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$23.24 DZD 3,076

80.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$4.58 DZD 606

127.07%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$0.98 DZD 130

268.37%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.60 DZD 79.5

145.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.23 DZD 30.46

295.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.93 DZD 256

56.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.42 DZD 320

84.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.90 DZD 119

53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.14 DZD 18.06

1214.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.42 DZD 187

13.38%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.79 DZD 237

43.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$8.84 DZD 1,170

-3.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.40 DZD 583

92.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$12.38 DZD 1,638

-11.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$3.16 DZD 418

-13.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$2.86 DZD 379

-47.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.42 DZD 188

38.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$0.70 DZD 92.5

202.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.57 DZD 75.9

226.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.35 DZD 46.88

520.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.42 DZD 55.9

154.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.30 DZD 39.88

250.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$2.49 DZD 330

68.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$7.14 DZD 945

43.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.35 DZD 179

23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.15 DZD 285

15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.22 DZD 28.99

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$17.34 DZD 2,294

51.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.70 DZD 92.9

342.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.20 DZD 26.45

1130.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$5.60 DZD 741

-42.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.36 DZD 47.84

250.00%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$36.3K DZD 4.8M

-16.80%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-30.61%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$39.82 DZD 5,269

110.92%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$7.04 DZD 932

215.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$18.01 DZD 2,384

64.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$17.32 DZD 2,292

203.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$6.13 DZD 811

-19.25%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$87.1 DZD 11.5K

127.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$1,411 DZD 186.7K

277.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$36.79 DZD 4,868

-2.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$34.24 DZD 4,531

17.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$63.8 DZD 8,442

23.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$67.6 DZD 8,947

27.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$202 DZD 26.7K

383.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$125 DZD 16.5K

276.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$274 DZD 36.2K

482.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$184 DZD 24.4K

559.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$804 DZD 106.4K

401.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$424 DZD 56.1K

1453.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$259 DZD 34.3K

175.24%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Jijel: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $202 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 175% 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $23 in Jijel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $184 – 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 122%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $852 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 37% 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 $568, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.