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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $559 in Tebessa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $909 in Tebessa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,260 in Tebessa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 127% more than Tebessa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tebessa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Tebessa 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.32 DZD 444

249.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$30.41 DZD 4,063

54.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.12 DZD 551

188.35%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$0.74 DZD 99.4

437.84%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.88 DZD 117

62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.28 DZD 36.90

192.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.55 DZD 208

105.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.07 DZD 277

228.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.90 DZD 120

86.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.14 DZD 19.30

1471.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.16 DZD 155

47.41%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.40 DZD 187

95.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.11 DZD 1,084

18.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.12 DZD 551

118.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.84 DZD 1,982

-13.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.19 DZD 293

31.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.83 DZD 378

-47.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.23 DZD 165

74.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.95 DZD 127

137.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.60 DZD 80.5

230.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.52 DZD 68.9

282.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.67 DZD 89.4

83.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.28 DZD 37.45

328.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.68 DZD 358

69.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.32 DZD 978

41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.12 DZD 149

44.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.10 DZD 280

37.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.15 DZD 20.23

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$6.84 DZD 914

321.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.56 DZD 75.3

862.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.35 DZD 46.51

965.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$5.65 DZD 754

2.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.34 DZD 45.27

352.94%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$39.8K DZD 5.3M

-43.34%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$32.3K DZD 4.3M

-19.32%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$38.85 DZD 5,189

135.21%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$9.16 DZD 1,224

175.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$11.92 DZD 1,593

162.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$20.41 DZD 2,727

229.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.88 DZD 652

-0.41%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$108 DZD 14.5K

106.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$2,960 DZD 395.4K

42.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$32.91 DZD 4,397

43.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$38.41 DZD 5,131

15.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$66.1 DZD 8,833

21.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$75.7 DZD 10.1K

22.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$144 DZD 19.2K

638.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$109 DZD 14.5K

259.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$279 DZD 37.3K

669.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$216 DZD 28.8K

489.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,298 DZD 173.4K

208.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$573 DZD 76.6K

1034.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Tebessa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $144 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Tebessa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $181 – 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 127%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $838 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $559 in Tebessa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 321% 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 $559, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.