Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Souk Ahras Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Souk Ahras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $547 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $837 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,126 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 132% more than Souk Ahras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Souk Ahras are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Souk Ahras 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.46 DZD 326

382.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$10.96 DZD 1,453

291.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.95 DZD 523

169.62%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.65 DZD 86.2

430.77%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.50 DZD 65.9

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.23 DZD 30.57

313.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.92 DZD 255

57.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.41 DZD 320

91.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.81 DZD 107

70.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.23 DZD 29.86

704.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.25 DZD 166

28.80%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.94 DZD 258

33.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$3.46 DZD 458

138.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$2.85 DZD 378

193.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$16.78 DZD 2,223

-36.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.56 DZD 206

68.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.95 DZD 391

-49.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.23 DZD 163

56.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.18 DZD 156

77.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.44 DZD 57.9

322.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.38 DZD 50.4

494.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.23 DZD 30.36

360.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.29 DZD 38.96

275.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.28 DZD 303

82.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.18 DZD 819

68.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.29 DZD 171

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.17 DZD 288

20.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.18 DZD 24.09

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$17.64 DZD 2,338

52.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.66 DZD 87.2

374.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.48 DZD 63.5

422.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.34 DZD 708

-41.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.33 DZD 44.05

284.85%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$32.9K DZD 4.4M

-7.72%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$34.3K DZD 4.5M

-31.28%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$40.58 DZD 5,379

104.53%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$9.30 DZD 1,233

144.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$20.01 DZD 2,652

47.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$12.05 DZD 1,598

323.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.07 DZD 540

350.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.42 DZD 719

-9.04%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$91.5 DZD 12.1K

115.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,633 DZD 481.5K

45.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$30.65 DZD 4,062

20.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$46.03 DZD 6,101

-13.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$79.2 DZD 10.5K

0.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$78.8 DZD 10.4K

13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$197 DZD 26.1K

386.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$114 DZD 15.2K

316.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$305 DZD 40.4K

440.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$182 DZD 24.1K

574.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,133 DZD 150.1K

245.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,151 DZD 152.5K

461.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$297 DZD 39.4K

124.56%

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 Souk Ahras: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $197 in Souk Ahras. 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 125% 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 $11.00 in Souk Ahras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $164 – making Souk Ahras 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 Souk Ahras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 132%, 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 $821 in Souk Ahras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Souk Ahras, 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 $547 in Souk Ahras. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Souk Ahras, where all-in costs run around $547, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Souk Ahras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Souk Ahras – 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 Souk Ahras. 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.