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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $595 in Mostaganem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $947 in Mostaganem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,299 in Mostaganem, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 112% 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 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$3.26 DZD 431

259.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$24.09 DZD 3,188

73.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$3.89 DZD 514

170.18%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$0.98 DZD 130

266.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.58 DZD 76.3

160.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.21 DZD 27.78

338.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.93 DZD 255

53.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.42 DZD 320

82.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$0.82 DZD 108

70.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.13 DZD 17.84

1346.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.30 DZD 172

20.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.87 DZD 248

39.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$5.90 DZD 780

41.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.30 DZD 569

94.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$16.32 DZD 2,160

-33.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$3.17 DZD 419

-14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.91 DZD 386

-48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.60 DZD 212

16.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$0.59 DZD 77.6

271.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.60 DZD 79.4

210.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.46 DZD 61.4

384.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.68 DZD 90.6

57.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.28 DZD 36.91

289.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.64 DZD 349

58.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$6.78 DZD 898

53.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.34 DZD 177

23.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.08 DZD 275

25.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.15 DZD 20.49

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$17.12 DZD 2,266

52.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.25 DZD 32.69

1132.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.34 DZD 44.91

605.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$5.70 DZD 754

-45.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.30 DZD 39.32

336.67%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$35.2K DZD 4.7M

-15.28%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$33.2K DZD 4.4M

-29.67%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$40.57 DZD 5,370

100.35%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$7.88 DZD 1,043

186.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$16.58 DZD 2,194

81.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$23.36 DZD 3,091

126.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.21 DZD 822

-20.77%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

116.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$3,528 DZD 467.0K

46.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$37.04 DZD 4,902

-3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$46.36 DZD 6,136

-13.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$74.3 DZD 9,839

7.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$76.0 DZD 10.1K

13.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$194 DZD 25.6K

404.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$115 DZD 15.2K

310.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$279 DZD 36.9K

491.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$181 DZD 24.0K

564.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,150 DZD 152.2K

243.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$993 DZD 131.4K

565.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$236 DZD 31.2K

186.60%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mostaganem: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $194 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 187% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Mostaganem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $595 in Mostaganem – roughly 112% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $892 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $595 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 $595, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $595 in Mostaganem to $1,260 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.