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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $562 in Laghouat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $909 in Laghouat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,257 in Laghouat.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 130% more expensive than Laghouat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Laghouat 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$2.76 DZD 366

325.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$21.22 DZD 2,814

96.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$4.74 DZD 629

119.62%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.06 DZD 140

240.57%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.69 DZD 92.1

111.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.19 DZD 25.25

410.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.94 DZD 257

50.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.41 DZD 320

91.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.99 DZD 131

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.35 DZD 46.74

442.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.54 DZD 337

-38.19%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.88 DZD 249

40.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$3.76 DZD 498

124.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.76 DZD 896

26.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$16.83 DZD 2,232

-34.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$4.35 DZD 576

-37.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$3.97 DZD 527

-61.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.71 DZD 226

11.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.13 DZD 150

92.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.70 DZD 93.2

167.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.67 DZD 88.2

232.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.66 DZD 87.5

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.32 DZD 42.73

234.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.30 DZD 305

80.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$6.89 DZD 913

49.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.30 DZD 172

29.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.10 DZD 278

20.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.10 DZD 13.69

450.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$17.59 DZD 2,333

49.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.75 DZD 99.6

326.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.28 DZD 37.06

778.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$6.17 DZD 818

-48.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.37 DZD 49.37

256.76%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$29.3K DZD 3.9M

2.96%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$55.6K DZD 7.4M

-57.93%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$41.36 DZD 5,484

96.69%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$9.53 DZD 1,263

135.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$19.86 DZD 2,634

50.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$18.10 DZD 2,400

184.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$5.36 DZD 711

-3.73%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$95.0 DZD 12.6K

112.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$3,602 DZD 477.6K

47.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$28.15 DZD 3,733

26.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$45.63 DZD 6,051

-11.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$56.1 DZD 7,434

40.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$70.3 DZD 9,323

23.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$123 DZD 16.3K

674.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$71.1 DZD 9,431

572.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$174 DZD 23.1K

830.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$115 DZD 15.3K

959.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$448 DZD 59.4K

795.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$303 DZD 40.2K

2035.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$362 DZD 48.0K

85.96%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Laghouat: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $123 in Laghouat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 86% 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 $254 vs $219 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 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 86% 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $123 in Laghouat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $562 in Laghouat – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $562 in Laghouat versus $1,294 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 130% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.