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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $524 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $815 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,106 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 154% 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 3% lower, Souk Ahras 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$2.33 DZD 309

458.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$10.96 DZD 1,453

321.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$4.76 DZD 631

164.50%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$0.71 DZD 94.2

463.38%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.51 DZD 67.3

178.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.28 DZD 36.91

189.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.83 DZD 243

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.32 DZD 307

193.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$0.81 DZD 108

111.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.22 DZD 29.10

909.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.30 DZD 172

32.31%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.35 DZD 180

100.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$3.46 DZD 459

170.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$2.89 DZD 383

206.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$16.60 DZD 2,200

-23.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.53 DZD 203

104.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$3.01 DZD 398

-48.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.24 DZD 165

73.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$0.94 DZD 125

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.41 DZD 54.0

392.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.41 DZD 54.9

385.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.23 DZD 30.34

439.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.27 DZD 35.52

340.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$2.30 DZD 304

102.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$7.26 DZD 963

44.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.24 DZD 164

27.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.86 DZD 247

56.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.22 DZD 29.72

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$5.07 DZD 672

486.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.59 DZD 78.2

801.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.50 DZD 66.5

644.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$5.49 DZD 727

5.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.30 DZD 40.41

416.67%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$35.9K DZD 4.8M

-37.69%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$35.1K DZD 4.7M

-27.20%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$38.41 DZD 5,090

132.44%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$9.96 DZD 1,320

133.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$20.29 DZD 2,689

56.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$11.92 DZD 1,579

476.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$4.00 DZD 530

635.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$4.60 DZD 610

10.00%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$92.6 DZD 12.3K

139.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$4,601 DZD 609.8K

-6.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$30.61 DZD 4,057

50.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$37.34 DZD 4,948

18.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$80.5 DZD 10.7K

18.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$79.7 DZD 10.6K

16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$149 DZD 19.7K

617.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$96.7 DZD 12.8K

306.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$298 DZD 39.5K

567.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$182 DZD 24.1K

616.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$1,132 DZD 150.0K

256.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$1,135 DZD 150.4K

483.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$301 DZD 39.8K

148.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

5.3

118.87%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Souk Ahras: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $149 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 149% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Souk Ahras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $162 – 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 154%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $787 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $524 in Souk Ahras. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 487% 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 $524, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.