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 $452 per month in Setif vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $762 per month in Setif vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,071 per month in Setif vs $3,017 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 DZD 303

$11.99 MX$209

-80.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.12 DZD 2,136

$41.78 MX$728

-61.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.91 DZD 519

$10.75 MX$187

-63.63%

Cappuccino

$0.67 DZD 89.2

$3.50 MX$60.9

-80.86%

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

$0.60 DZD 79.9

$1.45 MX$25.22

-58.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.74

$0.88 MX$15.41

-76.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 DZD 196

$2.95 MX$51.3

-49.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 DZD 281

$4.51 MX$78.6

-52.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 DZD 93.3

$1.43 MX$24.94

-51.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 18.16

$1.84 MX$31.99

-92.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 DZD 142

$1.57 MX$27.31

-31.85%

Eggs

$1.85 DZD 246

$2.51 MX$43.74

-26.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.69 DZD 887

$8.28 MX$144

-19.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 DZD 674

$8.43 MX$147

-39.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 DZD 1,864

$10.68 MX$186

31.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 DZD 374

$2.61 MX$45.43

8.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 DZD 393

$1.44 MX$25.04

106.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 DZD 198

$1.96 MX$34.16

-23.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 DZD 101

$2.09 MX$36.47

-63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 DZD 69.0

$1.85 MX$32.24

-71.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 66.5

$2.17 MX$37.74

-76.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 DZD 59.9

$1.03 MX$17.96

-56.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.66

$1.07 MX$18.70

-73.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 DZD 373

$4.10 MX$71.4

-31.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.33 DZD 707

$10.17 MX$177

-47.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 DZD 178

$1.68 MX$29.17

-20.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 DZD 280

$2.53 MX$43.98

-16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 DZD 20.85

$0.51 MX$8.87

-68.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.89 DZD 781

$26.04 MX$453

-77.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 DZD 93.8

$3.23 MX$56.3

-78.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.94

$2.41 MX$41.88

-85.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 DZD 677

$3.23 MX$56.2

58.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 DZD 48.47

$1.32 MX$23.00

-71.97%

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

$29.0K DZD 3.8M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-2.31%

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

$20.9K DZD 2.8M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-11.79%

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

$38.53 DZD 5,106

$82.0 MX$1,428

-53.02%

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

$9.25 DZD 1,226

$22.95 MX$400

-59.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.15 DZD 1,743

$30.11 MX$524

-56.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.16 DZD 2,406

$52.0 MX$905

-65.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.69 DZD 754

$18.53 MX$323

-69.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.59 DZD 741

$4.98 MX$86.6

12.25%

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

$93.8 DZD 12.4K

$197 MX$3,438

-52.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,669 DZD 486.2K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-31.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.41 DZD 3,235

$35.60 MX$620

-31.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.82 DZD 3,554

$40.33 MX$702

-33.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.78 DZD 5,935

$78.8 MX$1,371

-43.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 DZD 7,473

$88.9 MX$1,549

-36.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.8 DZD 9,911

$947 MX$16.5K

-92.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.9 DZD 7,281

$474 MX$8,254

-88.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$182 DZD 24.1K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-88.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 DZD 20.2K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-87.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$922 DZD 122.2K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-77.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$386 DZD 51.2K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-94.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$299 DZD 39.7K

$654 MX$11.4K

-54.23%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $74.8 in Setif versus $947 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 118% 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 178%, 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 $679 per month in Setif and $1,884 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 $452 in Setif and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 342% 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 $452, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.