Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tebessa Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tebessa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $602 in Tebessa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $984 in Tebessa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,366 in Tebessa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 114% more than Tebessa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tebessa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Tebessa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.13 DZD 414

281.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$29.88 DZD 3,959

43.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.94 DZD 522

168.78%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.72 DZD 94.9

402.78%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.88 DZD 117

67.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.23 DZD 30.56

308.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.00 DZD 265

54.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.43 DZD 322

83.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.99 DZD 131

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.15 DZD 20.30

1153.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.63 DZD 216

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.81 DZD 239

45.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.92 DZD 1,182

-7.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.37 DZD 712

54.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$16.46 DZD 2,181

-32.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.12 DZD 413

-15.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.84 DZD 377

-47.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.77 DZD 234

12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.74 DZD 98.2

181.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.59 DZD 78.6

203.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.49 DZD 65.6

344.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.65 DZD 86.5

66.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.30 DZD 39.97

246.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.73 DZD 362

45.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.09 DZD 807

67.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.30 DZD 172

33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.16 DZD 286

15.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.23 DZD 30.37

126.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$17.59 DZD 2,330

53.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.71 DZD 94.2

342.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.36 DZD 47.71

566.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$5.38 DZD 713

-42.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.36 DZD 48.07

252.78%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.0K DZD 4.2M

-3.55%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.0K DZD 4.4M

-29.32%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$41.25 DZD 5,466

98.81%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.18 DZD 1,216

144.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$17.13 DZD 2,270

73.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$23.35 DZD 3,094

122.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.50 DZD 729

-9.64%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$96.0 DZD 12.7K

106.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,613 DZD 478.7K

45.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$36.79 DZD 4,875

-1.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$45.64 DZD 6,047

-12.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$73.8 DZD 9,780

8.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$76.9 DZD 10.2K

15.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$191 DZD 25.3K

404.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$117 DZD 15.5K

297.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$269 DZD 35.7K

493.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$181 DZD 24.0K

567.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,009 DZD 133.7K

290.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$578 DZD 76.5K

1016.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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 25, 2026

Last update for Tebessa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $191 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Tebessa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $204 – making Tebessa 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 Tebessa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 114%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $903 in Tebessa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tebessa, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $602 in Tebessa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tebessa, where all-in costs run around $602, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Tebessa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tebessa – 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 Tebessa. 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.