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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $541 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $889 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,236 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 134% 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 7% lower, Sidi Bel Abbes 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.38 DZD 318

387.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$21.59 DZD 2,883

118.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.00 DZD 535

197.00%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$0.37 DZD 49.78

975.68%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.64 DZD 86.0

123.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.26 DZD 34.33

215.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.76 DZD 235

81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.04 DZD 406

123.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.01 DZD 135

66.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.09 DZD 12.16

2344.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.06 DZD 141

61.32%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.60 DZD 214

71.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$9.99 DZD 1,334

-4.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.31 DZD 576

109.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.82 DZD 1,847

-7.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.71 DZD 363

6.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.41 DZD 322

-37.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.46 DZD 195

47.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.45 DZD 60.1

402.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.34 DZD 45.92

482.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.64 DZD 85.8

210.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.66 DZD 88.7

86.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.37 DZD 48.88

224.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.91 DZD 255

138.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.22 DZD 1,365

1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.26 DZD 302

-28.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$0.95 DZD 127

203.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.20 DZD 26.98

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$6.73 DZD 899

327.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.74 DZD 99.1

628.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.32 DZD 42.44

1065.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$2.35 DZD 314

145.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.33 DZD 44.13

366.67%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$16.5K DZD 2.2M

36.64%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$30.7K DZD 4.1M

-15.06%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$20.35 DZD 2,719

349.04%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$8.95 DZD 1,195

181.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$17.44 DZD 2,330

79.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$17.54 DZD 2,343

283.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$1.55 DZD 208

213.55%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$57.6 DZD 7,697

288.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$3,357 DZD 448.5K

25.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$34.75 DZD 4,642

35.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$56.7 DZD 7,575

-21.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$83.2 DZD 11.1K

-3.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$85.2 DZD 11.4K

8.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$157 DZD 21.0K

575.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$106 DZD 14.1K

269.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$295 DZD 39.4K

628.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$217 DZD 29.0K

485.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,103 DZD 147.4K

262.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$357 DZD 47.7K

112.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.5

76.15%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $157 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 112% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $194 – 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 134%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $812 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $541 in Sidi Bel Abbes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 328% 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 $541, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.