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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $625 in Tebessa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,010 in Tebessa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,395 in Tebessa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 107% more than Tebessa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tebessa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tebessa 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$3.14 DZD 417

273.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$29.35 DZD 3,892

42.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$3.90 DZD 517

166.92%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$0.78 DZD 104

362.82%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.88 DZD 117

65.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.21 DZD 27.78

361.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.92 DZD 255

52.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.32 DZD 308

99.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.03 DZD 136

38.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.16 DZD 21.86

1087.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.59 DZD 210

-1.26%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.80 DZD 238

46.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$9.18 DZD 1,217

-8.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$5.28 DZD 700

62.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$16.67 DZD 2,211

-34.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.06 DZD 405

-11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.93 DZD 388

-48.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.77 DZD 235

7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.78 DZD 104

178.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.59 DZD 78.5

216.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.49 DZD 65.3

355.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.61 DZD 80.3

77.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.28 DZD 37.04

282.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.68 DZD 355

55.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$6.91 DZD 916

48.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.29 DZD 171

30.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.18 DZD 289

16.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.25 DZD 33.26

120.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$17.63 DZD 2,338

49.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.70 DZD 92.3

357.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.37 DZD 48.42

564.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.32 DZD 705

-39.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.34 DZD 44.90

288.24%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$32.9K DZD 4.4M

-8.39%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$33.6K DZD 4.4M

-30.27%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$41.30 DZD 5,477

96.97%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$9.21 DZD 1,221

143.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$17.25 DZD 2,287

73.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$23.19 DZD 3,075

122.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$5.46 DZD 724

-5.49%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$93.8 DZD 12.4K

115.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$3,528 DZD 467.9K

50.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$37.10 DZD 4,919

-4.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$45.96 DZD 6,095

-12.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$74.7 DZD 9,902

5.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$77.0 DZD 10.2K

12.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$192 DZD 25.5K

394.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$116 DZD 15.4K

311.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$275 DZD 36.4K

490.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$186 DZD 24.6K

558.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,150 DZD 152.6K

248.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,138 DZD 150.9K

468.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Tebessa: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $192 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Tebessa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $206 – 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 107%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $938 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $625 in Tebessa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% 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 $625, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.