Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mostaganem Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mostaganem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $597 in Mostaganem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $953 in Mostaganem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,309 in Mostaganem, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 113% more than Mostaganem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mostaganem are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Mostaganem 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.24 DZD 429

266.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$23.58 DZD 3,125

81.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.94 DZD 522

170.30%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.02 DZD 136

238.24%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.61 DZD 81.4

145.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.23 DZD 30.54

313.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.90 DZD 252

59.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.43 DZD 322

89.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.80 DZD 107

72.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.14 DZD 18.01

1221.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.36 DZD 180

18.38%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.86 DZD 247

39.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.08 DZD 806

35.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.11 DZD 544

103.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$16.38 DZD 2,171

-34.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.17 DZD 420

-17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.97 DZD 394

-49.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.55 DZD 206

23.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.58 DZD 77.4

260.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.60 DZD 79.2

210.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.46 DZD 60.5

391.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.68 DZD 90.1

55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.28 DZD 36.92

289.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.66 DZD 352

56.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.84 DZD 907

51.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.28 DZD 170

34.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.18 DZD 288

19.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.19 DZD 25.52

184.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$17.56 DZD 2,327

53.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.27 DZD 35.93

1059.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.34 DZD 44.66

638.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.65 DZD 749

-44.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.30 DZD 39.54

323.33%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$36.6K DZD 4.8M

-16.91%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

-29.99%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$40.26 DZD 5,336

106.16%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$8.05 DZD 1,067

182.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$16.92 DZD 2,243

74.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$22.95 DZD 3,042

122.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.06 DZD 804

-18.65%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$95.3 DZD 12.6K

107.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,641 DZD 482.6K

44.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$36.13 DZD 4,788

2.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$45.45 DZD 6,024

-12.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$75.8 DZD 10.0K

5.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$75.7 DZD 10.0K

18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$195 DZD 25.8K

390.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$115 DZD 15.3K

313.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$275 DZD 36.5K

498.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$186 DZD 24.7K

557.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,142 DZD 151.3K

243.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,179 DZD 156.3K

447.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$234 DZD 31.0K

185.58%

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 Mostaganem: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 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.

Salaries run about 186% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Mostaganem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $186 – 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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $597 in Mostaganem – roughly 113% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $896 in Mostaganem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $597 in Mostaganem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Mostaganem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mostaganem, where all-in costs run around $597, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Mostaganem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $597 in Mostaganem to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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.