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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $462 per month in Setif vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $776 per month in Setif vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,089 per month in Setif vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Setif is about 64% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Setif and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Setif 66% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 DZD 315

$11.73 MX$203

-79.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.25 DZD 2,157

$41.62 MX$721

-60.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.88 DZD 515

$10.64 MX$184

-63.53%

Cappuccino

$0.63 DZD 83.8

$3.52 MX$61.0

-82.10%

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

$0.58 DZD 76.5

$1.51 MX$26.17

-61.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.58

$0.97 MX$16.87

-76.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 DZD 189

$2.95 MX$51.1

-51.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 DZD 292

$4.45 MX$77.2

-50.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 DZD 97.8

$1.38 MX$23.97

-46.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 19.00

$1.89 MX$32.78

-92.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 DZD 136

$1.64 MX$28.37

-37.20%

Eggs

$1.81 DZD 240

$2.51 MX$43.42

-27.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 DZD 862

$8.34 MX$145

-22.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 DZD 676

$8.34 MX$145

-38.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 DZD 1,924

$10.73 MX$186

35.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 DZD 366

$2.60 MX$45.12

6.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 DZD 388

$1.46 MX$25.25

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 DZD 193

$1.90 MX$32.94

-23.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 DZD 103

$2.08 MX$35.98

-62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 DZD 69.2

$1.78 MX$30.77

-70.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 DZD 62.2

$2.19 MX$37.87

-78.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 DZD 60.6

$1.04 MX$18.02

-55.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.64

$1.08 MX$18.66

-74.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 DZD 370

$4.08 MX$70.7

-31.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.41 DZD 718

$10.32 MX$179

-47.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 DZD 179

$1.71 MX$29.67

-21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 DZD 267

$2.58 MX$44.63

-22.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 DZD 22.40

$0.51 MX$8.83

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.69 DZD 755

$26.46 MX$459

-78.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 DZD 94.2

$3.26 MX$56.5

-78.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.53

$2.49 MX$43.17

-86.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 DZD 657

$3.25 MX$56.3

52.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.35

$1.31 MX$22.65

-74.81%

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

$28.4K DZD 3.8M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-6.11%

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

$20.4K DZD 2.7M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-12.84%

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

$39.44 DZD 5,234

$82.9 MX$1,436

-52.41%

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

$9.56 DZD 1,269

$22.22 MX$385

-56.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.34 DZD 1,771

$29.34 MX$508

-54.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.43 DZD 2,445

$51.6 MX$895

-64.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 DZD 750

$18.32 MX$317

-69.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 DZD 739

$5.07 MX$87.8

9.86%

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

$93.5 DZD 12.4K

$201 MX$3,480

-53.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,549 DZD 470.9K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-31.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.93 DZD 3,309

$36.92 MX$640

-32.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.95 DZD 3,576

$39.79 MX$689

-32.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.23 DZD 5,871

$78.5 MX$1,360

-43.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 DZD 7,295

$87.1 MX$1,509

-36.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.8 DZD 9,931

$973 MX$16.9K

-92.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$56.2 DZD 7,458

$468 MX$8,105

-87.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$179 DZD 23.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-89.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 DZD 20.5K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-87.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$957 DZD 127.1K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-75.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$383 DZD 50.9K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-94.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$304 DZD 40.3K

$664 MX$11.5K

-54.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

11.42

-52.54%

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

Last update for Setif: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $74.8 in Setif versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 119% 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 $16.00 in Setif versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $249 – making Setif 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

Setif vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 181%, 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 $693 per month in Setif and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setif, 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 $462 in Setif and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 365% less in Setif. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Setif, where all-in costs run around $462, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Setif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setif – 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 Setif. 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.