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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $571 in Laghouat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $915 in Laghouat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,259 in Laghouat.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 121% more expensive than in Laghouat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Laghouat 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.69 DZD 356

335.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$21.01 DZD 2,779

99.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.62 DZD 610

127.49%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.05 DZD 139

241.90%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.64 DZD 85.0

135.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.18 DZD 23.72

411.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.98 DZD 262

49.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.32 DZD 306

90.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.99 DZD 131

41.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.35 DZD 46.86

437.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.52 DZD 333

-38.10%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.82 DZD 240

43.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$3.65 DZD 482

127.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.88 DZD 910

21.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$16.87 DZD 2,230

-35.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.35 DZD 575

-37.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$3.76 DZD 497

-59.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.71 DZD 225

9.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.13 DZD 150

93.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.68 DZD 90.3

173.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.63 DZD 83.6

253.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.66 DZD 86.7

62.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.32 DZD 42.58

240.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.31 DZD 305

81.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.80 DZD 899

53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.30 DZD 171

27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.09 DZD 276

24.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.13 DZD 17.78

315.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$17.38 DZD 2,298

50.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.77 DZD 101

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.28 DZD 36.68

757.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.26 DZD 828

-50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.35 DZD 46.26

274.29%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$29.0K DZD 3.8M

2.74%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$55.4K DZD 7.3M

-57.90%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$41.14 DZD 5,439

97.57%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$9.13 DZD 1,207

147.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$19.71 DZD 2,606

52.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$18.03 DZD 2,383

193.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.48 DZD 725

-10.22%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$94.2 DZD 12.5K

113.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,647 DZD 482.2K

41.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$28.14 DZD 3,721

27.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$46.86 DZD 6,195

-14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$56.7 DZD 7,500

40.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$71.0 DZD 9,392

21.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$127 DZD 16.8K

671.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$70.0 DZD 9,256

572.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$177 DZD 23.5K

830.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$117 DZD 15.5K

928.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$443 DZD 58.5K

792.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$294 DZD 38.9K

2148.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$354 DZD 46.7K

91.40%

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 Laghouat: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $127 in Laghouat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 91% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $21.00 in Laghouat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $218 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 121% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 91% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $127 in Laghouat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $571 in Laghouat – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 51% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $571 in Laghouat versus $1,260 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 121% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.