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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $549 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $837 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,126 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 130% 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 6% lower, Souk Ahras 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$2.46 DZD 325

374.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$10.63 DZD 1,407

293.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$3.80 DZD 503

173.68%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$0.67 DZD 88.5

438.81%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.51 DZD 67.3

188.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.21 DZD 27.78

333.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.91 DZD 253

58.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.40 DZD 318

86.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.87 DZD 115

58.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.20 DZD 26.33

820.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.24 DZD 164

29.84%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.89 DZD 250

35.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$3.42 DZD 452

148.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$2.80 DZD 371

203.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$16.52 DZD 2,186

-33.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.54 DZD 204

77.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$2.98 DZD 394

-49.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.21 DZD 160

61.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.23 DZD 162

72.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.41 DZD 54.0

353.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.39 DZD 51.0

456.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.23 DZD 30.40

365.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.29 DZD 38.86

262.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$2.17 DZD 288

93.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$7.76 DZD 1,027

32.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.31 DZD 173

27.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.14 DZD 283

16.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.22 DZD 29.14

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$17.09 DZD 2,262

53.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.69 DZD 91.8

349.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.44 DZD 58.9

459.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$5.29 DZD 699

-38.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.33 DZD 43.94

281.82%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$32.5K DZD 4.3M

-7.26%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-30.66%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$40.55 DZD 5,367

107.13%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$9.58 DZD 1,268

131.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$19.65 DZD 2,601

50.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$12.11 DZD 1,603

334.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$3.92 DZD 519

367.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$5.45 DZD 721

-9.17%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$93.2 DZD 12.3K

112.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$3,576 DZD 473.2K

48.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$30.46 DZD 4,031

18.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$44.74 DZD 5,921

-10.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$80.8 DZD 10.7K

-2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$79.0 DZD 10.4K

9.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$194 DZD 25.7K

403.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$115 DZD 15.2K

310.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$305 DZD 40.3K

423.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$179 DZD 23.7K

577.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$309 DZD 40.9K

1204.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$283 DZD 37.4K

2225.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$307 DZD 40.6K

132.61%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Souk Ahras: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $194 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 133% 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $11 in Souk Ahras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $166 – 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 130%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $823 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $549 in Souk Ahras. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $549, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.