Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and M'Sila Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and M'Sila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $545 in M'Sila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $842 in M'Sila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,139 in M'Sila.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 133% more expensive than M'Sila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, M'Sila 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.95 DZD 259

508.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$19.26 DZD 2,552

122.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.87 DZD 513

175.19%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.41 DZD 54.1

741.46%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.52 DZD 68.4

188.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.21 DZD 27.56

352.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.91 DZD 253

58.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.32 DZD 308

98.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.83 DZD 110

66.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.13 DZD 17.48

1323.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.48 DZD 196

8.78%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.48 DZD 196

75.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$3.17 DZD 420

160.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.49 DZD 728

52.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.25 DZD 1,225

15.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.17 DZD 421

-17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.74 DZD 364

-45.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.72 DZD 228

11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.54 DZD 71.5

287.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.49 DZD 64.8

279.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.31 DZD 41.15

629.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.14 DZD 18.91

657.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.30 DZD 40.17

263.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.67 DZD 354

55.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.78 DZD 899

53.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.35 DZD 178

27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.07 DZD 275

26.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.23 DZD 30.34

134.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$17.59 DZD 2,331

53.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.71 DZD 93.5

340.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.34 DZD 44.84

638.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.46 DZD 723

-42.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.36 DZD 47.18

252.78%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

-15.51%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.5K DZD 4.4M

-29.67%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$23.73 DZD 3,145

249.77%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$7.84 DZD 1,039

189.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$17.96 DZD 2,381

64.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$23.01 DZD 3,049

121.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.07 DZD 804

-18.78%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

112.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,606 DZD 477.9K

46.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$36.32 DZD 4,814

1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$45.49 DZD 6,029

-12.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$75.9 DZD 10.1K

5.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$77.9 DZD 10.3K

14.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$197 DZD 26.1K

385.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$117 DZD 15.5K

308.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$276 DZD 36.6K

496.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$181 DZD 24.0K

576.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,131 DZD 149.9K

246.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$649 DZD 86.0K

894.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$251 DZD 33.3K

165.69%

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 7, 2026

Last update for M'Sila: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $197 in M'Sila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 166% 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 $19.00 in M'Sila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $159 per month, with M'Sila 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 M'Sila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

M'Sila is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 166% 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $197 in M'Sila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in M'Sila runs roughly 53% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $92.8 in M'Sila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $545 in M'Sila versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in M'Sila but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes M'Sila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, M'Sila 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 M'Sila 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 M'Sila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.