Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tebessa

For one person, living is cheaper in Tebessa: $524 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Tebessa, Algeria
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Tebessa
🇩🇿 Algeria
$524
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Tebessa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Tebessa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $524 in Tebessa, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Tebessa $524

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $881 in Tebessa, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Tebessa $881

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,237 in Tebessa, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Tebessa $1,237

Playa del Carmen costs about 129% more than Tebessa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tebessa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Tebessa 61% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Tebessa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$199
$3.08 DZD 417
246.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$815
$29.08 DZD 3,936
50.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$219
$3.89 DZD 527
203.08%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$70.5
$0.68 DZD 91.4
457.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.14
$0.80 DZD 108
62.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.51
$0.24 DZD 32.36
245.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$58.6
$1.52 DZD 206
107.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.8
$2.10 DZD 284
134.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Tebessa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$0.83 DZD 112
69.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$40.86
$0.15 DZD 20.38
1366.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.40
$1.15 DZD 155
27.83%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.46
$1.20 DZD 162
108.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$136
$7.70 DZD 1,042
-5.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$148
$3.98 DZD 538
99.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$239
$14.56 DZD 1,971
-11.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.9
$2.03 DZD 275
42.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.74
$2.79 DZD 378
-50.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.35
$1.10 DZD 150
126.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.77
$0.96 DZD 131
111.46%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.68
$0.57 DZD 77.5
254.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.42
$0.45 DZD 61.3
322.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.30
$0.72 DZD 97.0
58.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.05
$0.27 DZD 36.79
359.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$79.5
$2.60 DZD 352
64.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$183
$6.63 DZD 898
47.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.51
$1.27 DZD 172
25.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.1
$1.87 DZD 253
47.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Tebessa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.58
$0.22 DZD 29.67
131.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$510
$6.78 DZD 917
303.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$88.6
$0.58 DZD 78.2
720.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$60.5
$0.43 DZD 58.7
655.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$100
$5.28 DZD 715
2.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.44
$0.33 DZD 44.04
363.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$394.8K
$32.0K DZD 4.3M
-33.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$432.9K
$34.7K DZD 4.7M
-33.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Tebessa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,554
$36.27 DZD 4,910
130.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$431
$9.48 DZD 1,284
144.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$514
$12.19 DZD 1,650
126.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Tebessa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,050
$22.50 DZD 3,045
150.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$525
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.1
$4.60 DZD 623
8.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Tebessa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,854
$337 DZD 45.7K
-38.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$97.3K
$4,865 DZD 658.4K
7.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Tebessa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$809
$32.70 DZD 4,426
32.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$792
$34.11 DZD 4,616
24.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,354
$68.5 DZD 9,269
6.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,645
$78.9 DZD 10.7K
12.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Tebessa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.5K
$143 DZD 19.4K
593.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,116
$93.5 DZD 12.7K
308.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.2K
$273 DZD 37.0K
512.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.1K
$196 DZD 26.6K
450.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$72.7K
$969 DZD 131.2K
303.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$114.2K
$1,029 DZD 139.3K
496.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Tebessa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
5.3
116.04%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Tebessa: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Tebessa
$94 75.5% $289
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Tebessa
$174 32.4% $83
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Tebessa
$60 69.9% $140
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Tebessa
$58 56.9% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Tebessa
$96 13.4% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Tebessa
$32 52.3% $35
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Tebessa
$10 79.4% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $143 in Tebessa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $29 in Tebessa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $174 – making Tebessa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇩🇿 Tebessa
🕒 Local time
18:28 6:28 PM
00:28 12:28 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
196,537
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.81 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 135 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.39 USD). 1 EUR = 151 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.61 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Tebessa 9,140 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Tebessa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tebessa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tebessa cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 129%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $787 in Tebessa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tebessa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $143 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Tebessa?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $524 in Tebessa. That makes Tebessa about 56% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 75% less in Tebessa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Tebessa?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Tebessa, where all-in costs run around $524, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Tebessa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Tebessa?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $524 in Tebessa to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Tebessa is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 56% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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