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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $573 in Laghouat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $917 in Laghouat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,262 in Laghouat.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 125% more expensive than Laghouat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Laghouat 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.75 DZD 365

334.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$20.90 DZD 2,769

104.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.71 DZD 624

124.84%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.07 DZD 142

238.32%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.69 DZD 91.4

113.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.17 DZD 21.97

452.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.90 DZD 251

62.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.33 DZD 309

91.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.00 DZD 132

43.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.33 DZD 43.47

469.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.48 DZD 329

-34.27%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.91 DZD 253

38.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$3.78 DZD 501

117.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.92 DZD 917

19.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$16.94 DZD 2,244

-34.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.36 DZD 578

-39.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$3.80 DZD 504

-60.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.73 DZD 229

15.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.19 DZD 158

74.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.64 DZD 85.3

179.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.66 DZD 87.5

230.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.68 DZD 89.7

58.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.29 DZD 39.08

258.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.37 DZD 314

67.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.07 DZD 937

44.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.34 DZD 178

29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.09 DZD 277

19.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.10 DZD 13.58

420.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$17.75 DZD 2,352

51.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.80 DZD 106

292.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.28 DZD 36.78

757.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.16 DZD 817

-49.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.37 DZD 49.36

243.24%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$29.8K DZD 3.9M

3.75%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$56.1K DZD 7.4M

-58.44%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$40.76 DZD 5,401

101.20%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.16 DZD 1,213

145.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$19.66 DZD 2,605

50.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$17.77 DZD 2,354

191.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.56 DZD 736

-10.61%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$95.3 DZD 12.6K

107.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,636 DZD 481.8K

45.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$28.40 DZD 3,763

27.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$46.66 DZD 6,183

-14.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$56.3 DZD 7,456

41.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$71.2 DZD 9,435

24.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$126 DZD 16.8K

661.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$69.4 DZD 9,200

569.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$178 DZD 23.6K

794.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$117 DZD 15.4K

937.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$447 DZD 59.3K

781.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$299 DZD 39.7K

2053.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$368 DZD 48.7K

96.02%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Laghouat: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $126 in Laghouat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 96% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $21.00 in Laghouat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $220 per month, with Laghouat cheaper across the board.

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 Laghouat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Laghouat is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 125% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 96% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 in Laghouat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $573 in Laghouat – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 52% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $573 in Laghouat versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Laghouat but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Laghouat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Laghouat is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Laghouat are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Laghouat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.