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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $610 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $957 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,304 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 111% 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 4% lower, Sidi Bel Abbes 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.26 DZD 431

266.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$21.28 DZD 2,820

100.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.80 DZD 503

178.68%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.38 DZD 49.74

852.63%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.60 DZD 80.2

145.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.27 DZD 35.59

248.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.96 DZD 260

57.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.44 DZD 323

82.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.98 DZD 130

45.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.09 DZD 11.59

1988.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.57 DZD 208

3.82%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.84 DZD 244

43.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.83 DZD 1,170

-7.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.35 DZD 709

54.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$16.26 DZD 2,155

-31.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.16 DZD 419

-16.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.80 DZD 372

-46.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.71 DZD 227

16.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.75 DZD 99.8

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.56 DZD 74.0

219.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.50 DZD 66.0

336.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.60 DZD 79.6

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.37 DZD 49.45

181.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.68 DZD 355

48.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.73 DZD 1,289

4.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.34 DZD 177

29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.15 DZD 285

16.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.19 DZD 25.39

173.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$17.66 DZD 2,340

52.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.72 DZD 95.8

336.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.33 DZD 44.16

627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$5.15 DZD 682

-40.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.36 DZD 48.16

252.78%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$33.0K DZD 4.4M

-6.43%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-31.03%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$40.32 DZD 5,342

103.40%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.19 DZD 1,218

144.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$17.26 DZD 2,287

71.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$18.10 DZD 2,399

186.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.46 DZD 724

-8.97%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$94.8 DZD 12.6K

108.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,530 DZD 467.8K

49.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$36.78 DZD 4,874

-1.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$45.65 DZD 6,048

-12.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$73.9 DZD 9,788

8.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$76.1 DZD 10.1K

16.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$191 DZD 25.3K

403.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$116 DZD 15.3K

302.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$274 DZD 36.3K

482.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$184 DZD 24.3K

558.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$363 DZD 48.0K

98.68%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $191 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 99% 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 $21.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 111%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $915 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $610 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 $610, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.