Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sidi Bel Abbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sidi Bel Abbes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $614 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $952 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,289 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 105% more than Sidi Bel Abbes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sidi Bel Abbes are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sidi Bel Abbes 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.28 DZD 434

257.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$21.15 DZD 2,796

98.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.93 DZD 519

167.43%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$0.37 DZD 49.31

870.27%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.60 DZD 79.3

151.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.27 DZD 35.53

240.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.98 DZD 261

49.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.34 DZD 310

88.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.02 DZD 135

37.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.07 DZD 9.45

2585.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.57 DZD 207

-0.64%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.81 DZD 239

44.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.12 DZD 1,205

-8.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.18 DZD 685

61.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$16.64 DZD 2,200

-34.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.10 DZD 409

-12.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.87 DZD 380

-47.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.69 DZD 224

10.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.80 DZD 106

173.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.56 DZD 73.5

232.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.50 DZD 65.5

346.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.66 DZD 86.7

62.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.37 DZD 49.56

194.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.73 DZD 361

53.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.09 DZD 1,202

14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.36 DZD 179

22.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.14 DZD 283

21.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.23 DZD 29.96

134.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$17.09 DZD 2,259

53.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.74 DZD 97.5

316.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.37 DZD 48.31

548.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.35 DZD 707

-41.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.34 DZD 44.82

285.29%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$32.0K DZD 4.2M

-6.84%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.1K DZD 4.5M

-31.53%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$40.09 DZD 5,300

102.74%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$9.37 DZD 1,238

140.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$16.83 DZD 2,226

78.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$18.04 DZD 2,385

193.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.42 DZD 717

-9.23%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$95.2 DZD 12.6K

110.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,660 DZD 483.9K

41.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$36.91 DZD 4,880

-2.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$44.81 DZD 5,925

-10.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$75.8 DZD 10.0K

5.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$78.3 DZD 10.4K

10.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$194 DZD 25.7K

403.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$116 DZD 15.4K

304.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$275 DZD 36.3K

501.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$181 DZD 23.9K

566.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,192 DZD 157.6K

231.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,281 DZD 169.4K

415.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$350 DZD 46.2K

93.49%

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 Sidi Bel Abbes: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $194 in Sidi Bel Abbes. 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 93% 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 $21.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $210 – making Sidi Bel Abbes 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 Sidi Bel Abbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 105%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $921 in Sidi Bel Abbes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Bel Abbes, 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 $614 in Sidi Bel Abbes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sidi Bel Abbes, where all-in costs run around $614, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Sidi Bel Abbes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sidi Bel Abbes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Sidi Bel Abbes. 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.