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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $508 in Laghouat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $836 in Laghouat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,165 in Laghouat.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 149% more expensive than in Laghouat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Laghouat 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.59 DZD 478

223.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$21.18 DZD 2,819

122.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.69 DZD 624

153.30%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.06 DZD 141

275.47%

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

$1.43 MX$24.58

$0.64 DZD 85.0

123.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.16 DZD 21.42

412.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.50 DZD 200

112.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.14 DZD 285

217.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.86

$1.03 DZD 138

63.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.84

$0.17 DZD 22.73

1194.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.42

$2.66 DZD 354

-35.71%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.21

$1.82 DZD 242

50.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.34 DZD 578

120.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.81 DZD 774

55.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$15.33 DZD 2,040

-16.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.75

$3.86 DZD 514

-25.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.79

$3.80 DZD 506

-60.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.00

$2.19 DZD 291

-1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.92

$1.09 DZD 145

107.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.11

$0.60 DZD 79.8

230.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.27

$0.62 DZD 82.9

220.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.26

$0.60 DZD 80.4

105.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.61

$0.30 DZD 39.61

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.4

$2.43 DZD 323

87.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.14 DZD 950

45.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.33 DZD 177

21.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.61

$2.03 DZD 270

41.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.13 DZD 17.91

361.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$6.37 DZD 848

352.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.75 DZD 100

618.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.32 DZD 42.07

1065.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.4

$6.27 DZD 834

-7.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.46

$0.35 DZD 45.99

340.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.4K

$30.4K DZD 4.1M

-25.93%

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

$26.1K MX$448.8K

$44.4K DZD 5.9M

-41.30%

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

$91.4 MX$1,574

$38.56 DZD 5,133

136.98%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$6.61 DZD 880

281.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$16.81 DZD 2,238

85.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,158

$14.24 DZD 1,896

371.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.75 DZD 633

2.32%

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

$224 MX$3,852

$60.1 DZD 7,998

272.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$3,388 DZD 451.0K

24.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$29.16 DZD 3,881

61.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$34.79 DZD 4,630

27.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,380

$56.5 DZD 7,526

41.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$70.5 DZD 9,384

31.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$100 DZD 13.3K

960.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,721

$56.3 DZD 7,487

593.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$163 DZD 21.7K

1218.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$110 DZD 14.6K

1059.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$446 DZD 59.4K

796.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$309 DZD 41.1K

2006.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$363 DZD 48.3K

108.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.3

116.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Laghouat: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $100 in Laghouat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 109% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $21.00 in Laghouat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $208 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 149% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 109% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $100 in Laghouat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $508 in Laghouat – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 352% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $508 in Laghouat versus $1,266 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 149% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.