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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $615 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $975 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,335 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 107% 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

$11.87 MX$204

$3.17 DZD 420

274.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$21.55 DZD 2,857

99.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.93 DZD 522

170.99%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.37 DZD 49.37

832.43%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.61 DZD 81.2

145.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.29 DZD 38.56

227.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.98 DZD 263

53.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.40 DZD 318

92.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.04 DZD 138

32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.07 DZD 9.21

2542.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.56 DZD 207

3.21%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.78 DZD 236

45.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.05 DZD 1,199

-8.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.42 DZD 719

54.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$16.29 DZD 2,159

-34.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.23 DZD 428

-18.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.97 DZD 394

-49.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.78 DZD 235

7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.78 DZD 104

167.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.54 DZD 71.8

244.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.50 DZD 66.7

352.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.61 DZD 81.1

73.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.35 DZD 46.30

211.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.77 DZD 367

49.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.74 DZD 1,291

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.30 DZD 172

32.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.18 DZD 289

19.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.20 DZD 26.16

170.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$17.75 DZD 2,352

51.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.69 DZD 91.3

353.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.36 DZD 48.24

597.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.33 DZD 707

-40.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.37 DZD 48.46

243.24%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$32.1K DZD 4.3M

-5.37%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.2K DZD 4.4M

-29.02%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$40.84 DZD 5,413

103.23%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$9.44 DZD 1,251

140.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$16.81 DZD 2,228

75.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$18.09 DZD 2,397

181.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.47 DZD 725

-9.87%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$93.2 DZD 12.3K

111.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,527 DZD 467.4K

49.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$36.53 DZD 4,842

1.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$45.99 DZD 6,096

-13.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$75.3 DZD 9,978

6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$76.3 DZD 10.1K

17.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$193 DZD 25.6K

396.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$116 DZD 15.4K

311.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$271 DZD 35.9K

507.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$186 DZD 24.6K

560.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,265 DZD 167.6K

209.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,137 DZD 150.7K

468.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$351 DZD 46.5K

90.18%

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 Sidi Bel Abbes: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $193 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 90% 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 $22.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $212 – 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 107%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $922 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $615 in Sidi Bel Abbes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% 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 $615, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.