Cost of Living Comparison Between Sidi Bel Abbes and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sidi Bel Abbes and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $541 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $889 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,236 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sidi Bel Abbes is about 57% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sidi Bel Abbes and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sidi Bel Abbes 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 DZD 318

$11.60 MX$200

-79.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.59 DZD 2,883

$47.11 MX$812

-54.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 DZD 535

$11.88 MX$205

-66.33%

Cappuccino

$0.37 DZD 49.78

$3.98 MX$68.6

-90.70%

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

$0.64 DZD 86.0

$1.43 MX$24.60

-55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 DZD 34.33

$0.82 MX$14.22

-68.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 DZD 235

$3.19 MX$55.0

-44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 DZD 406

$6.79 MX$117

-55.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 DZD 135

$1.68 MX$28.89

-39.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.09 DZD 12.16

$2.20 MX$37.88

-95.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 DZD 141

$1.71 MX$29.45

-38.01%

Eggs

$1.60 DZD 214

$2.74 MX$47.26

-41.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 DZD 1,334

$9.58 MX$165

4.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 DZD 576

$9.01 MX$155

-52.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.82 DZD 1,847

$12.81 MX$221

7.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 DZD 363

$2.89 MX$49.81

-6.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 DZD 322

$1.50 MX$25.81

60.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 DZD 195

$2.15 MX$37.03

-32.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 DZD 60.1

$2.26 MX$38.96

-80.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 DZD 45.92

$1.98 MX$34.15

-82.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 DZD 85.8

$1.99 MX$34.30

-67.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 DZD 88.7

$1.23 MX$21.28

-46.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 DZD 48.88

$1.20 MX$20.63

-69.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 DZD 255

$4.55 MX$78.5

-58.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 DZD 1,365

$10.37 MX$179

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 DZD 302

$1.62 MX$27.91

39.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 DZD 127

$2.88 MX$49.67

-67.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 DZD 26.98

$0.60 MX$10.35

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.73 DZD 899

$28.80 MX$497

-76.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 DZD 99.1

$5.39 MX$92.9

-86.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 DZD 42.44

$3.73 MX$64.3

-91.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 DZD 314

$5.77 MX$99.5

-59.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.13

$1.54 MX$26.48

-78.57%

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

$16.5K DZD 2.2M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-26.82%

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

$30.7K DZD 4.1M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

17.73%

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

$20.35 DZD 2,719

$91.4 MX$1,576

-77.73%

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

$8.95 DZD 1,195

$25.20 MX$435

-64.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.44 DZD 2,330

$31.24 MX$539

-44.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.54 DZD 2,343

$67.2 MX$1,159

-73.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$1.55 DZD 208

$4.86 MX$83.8

-68.11%

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

$57.6 DZD 7,697

$224 MX$3,856

-74.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,357 DZD 448.5K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-20.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.75 DZD 4,642

$47.10 MX$812

-26.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 DZD 7,575

$44.29 MX$764

28.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 DZD 11.1K

$80.1 MX$1,381

3.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 DZD 11.4K

$92.7 MX$1,598

-8.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 DZD 21.0K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-85.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 DZD 14.1K

$390 MX$6,728

-72.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$295 DZD 39.4K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-86.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 DZD 29.0K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-82.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,103 DZD 147.4K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-72.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$357 DZD 47.7K

$758 MX$13.1K

-52.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

11.45

-43.23%

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

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $157 in Sidi Bel Abbes versus $1,063 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 112% 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 $22.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $276 – making Sidi Bel Abbes 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

Sidi Bel Abbes vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 134%, 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 $812 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes and $1,899 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 Sidi Bel Abbes, 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 $541 in Sidi Bel Abbes and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 328% less in Sidi Bel Abbes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sidi Bel Abbes, where all-in costs run around $541, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Sidi Bel Abbes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sidi Bel Abbes – 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 Sidi Bel Abbes. 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.