đA single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $585 in Mostaganem, rent included.
đA couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $936 in Mostaganem, rent included.
đA family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,288 in Mostaganem, rent included.
đPlaya del Carmen costs about 116% more than Mostaganem, driven mainly by Eating Out.
đBoth Playa del Carmen and Mostaganem are more affordable than the global median â Playa del Carmen6% lower, Mostaganem56% lower.
Currency
đ˝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Mostaganem
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67MX$202
$3.13DZDÂ 414
272.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88MX$726
$23.87DZDÂ 3,159
75.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.40MX$180
$3.89DZDÂ 515
167.35%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.6
$0.99DZDÂ 131
264.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.45
$0.57DZDÂ 75.7
157.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.80
$0.23DZDÂ 30.51
295.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$52.6
$1.98DZDÂ 262
53.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47MX$77.4
$2.40DZDÂ 318
86.25%
đ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Mostaganem
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.83
$0.83DZDÂ 109
66.27%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84MX$31.93
$0.15DZDÂ 19.29
1126.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.82
$1.31DZDÂ 173
22.90%
Eggs
$2.57MX$44.52
$1.81DZDÂ 240
41.99%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$5.93DZDÂ 784
43.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$4.10DZDÂ 543
107.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.99MX$190
$16.50DZDÂ 2,183
-33.39%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73MX$47.25
$3.19DZDÂ 422
-14.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.92
$2.86DZDÂ 379
-47.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96MX$33.93
$1.54DZDÂ 204
27.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.12MX$36.70
$0.57DZDÂ 76.0
271.93%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.30
$0.60DZDÂ 78.9
210.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.67
$0.47DZDÂ 62.1
361.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.59
$0.73DZDÂ 96.3
46.58%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05MX$18.18
$0.28DZDÂ 36.73
275.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.6
$2.54DZDÂ 337
64.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.28MX$178
$7.14DZDÂ 945
43.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67MX$28.87
$1.35DZDÂ 179
23.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49MX$43.12
$2.15DZDÂ 285
15.81%
đ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Mostaganem
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$0.16DZDÂ 20.73
237.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.27MX$455
$17.50DZDÂ 2,316
50.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10MX$53.8
$0.27DZDÂ 36.03
1048.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.46MX$42.66
$0.36DZDÂ 47.80
583.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.24MX$56.1
$5.52DZDÂ 730
-41.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26MX$21.83
$0.30DZDÂ 39.23
320.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2KMX$522.8K
$36.4KDZDÂ 4.8M
-17.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$406.3K
$33.4KDZDÂ 4.4M
-29.82%
đ§ž Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Mostaganem
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0MX$1,456
$40.24DZDÂ 5,325
108.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21MX$385
$7.77DZDÂ 1,028
185.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65MX$514
$17.10DZDÂ 2,263
73.39%
đ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Mostaganem
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.6MX$912
$23.47DZDÂ 3,105
124.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34MX$318
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.95MX$85.7
$6.07DZDÂ 803
-18.45%
𧸠Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Mostaganem
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,438
$95.2DZDÂ 12.6K
108.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,322MX$92.2K
$3,629DZDÂ 480.2K
46.65%
đđ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Mostaganem
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95MX$623
$36.64DZDÂ 4,849
-1.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06MX$694
$44.92DZDÂ 5,945
-10.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.8MX$1,365
$74.8DZDÂ 9,893
5.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,499
$75.7DZDÂ 10.0K
14.31%
đ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Mostaganem
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$977MX$16.9K
$195DZDÂ 25.7K
401.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$471MX$8,158
$114DZDÂ 15.1K
313.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,595MX$27.6K
$273DZDÂ 36.1K
485.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,215MX$21.1K
$186DZDÂ 24.6K
554.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,032MX$69.9K
$940DZDÂ 124.4K
329.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,579MX$114.0K
-
-
đľ Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Mostaganem
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$714MX$12.4K
$239DZDÂ 31.6K
199.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
5.42
110.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026
Last update for Mostaganem: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
đ A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $195 in Mostaganem. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
đ°Salaries run about 199% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
đA mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $24 in Mostaganem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $186 â making Mostaganem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Mostaganem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and Mostaganem compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, $585 in Mostaganem â roughly 116% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Mostaganem?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $877 in Mostaganem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled â not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Mostaganem?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mostaganem, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Mostaganem?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $585 in Mostaganem. The difference isn't just one category â it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How do commuting costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Mostaganem?
Public transport costs about 50% less in Mostaganem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mostaganem, where all-in costs run around $585, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Mostaganem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Mostaganem?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $585 in Mostaganem to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Mostaganem safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison â central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Mostaganem?
If budget matters most, go with Mostaganem. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared