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 $615 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $975 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,335 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sidi Bel Abbes is about 52% 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 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.17 DZD 420

$11.87 MX$204

-73.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.55 DZD 2,857

$42.90 MX$736

-49.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 DZD 522

$10.65 MX$183

-63.10%

Cappuccino

$0.37 DZD 49.37

$3.45 MX$59.2

-89.28%

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

$0.61 DZD 81.2

$1.50 MX$25.81

-59.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 DZD 38.56

$0.95 MX$16.28

-69.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 DZD 263

$3.03 MX$51.9

-34.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 DZD 318

$4.61 MX$79.1

-47.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 DZD 138

$1.38 MX$23.61

-24.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.07 DZD 9.21

$1.85 MX$31.70

-96.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 DZD 207

$1.61 MX$27.65

-3.11%

Eggs

$1.78 DZD 236

$2.59 MX$44.51

-31.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 DZD 1,199

$8.26 MX$142

9.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.42 DZD 719

$8.37 MX$144

-35.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 DZD 2,159

$10.66 MX$183

52.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 DZD 428

$2.63 MX$45.12

22.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 DZD 394

$1.49 MX$25.53

99.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 DZD 235

$1.92 MX$32.94

-7.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 DZD 104

$2.09 MX$35.81

-62.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 DZD 71.8

$1.86 MX$31.88

-70.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 66.7

$2.26 MX$38.81

-77.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 DZD 81.1

$1.06 MX$18.23

-42.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 DZD 46.30

$1.09 MX$18.67

-67.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 DZD 367

$4.15 MX$71.2

-33.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.74 DZD 1,291

$10.39 MX$178

-6.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 DZD 172

$1.72 MX$29.59

-24.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 DZD 289

$2.61 MX$44.85

-16.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 DZD 26.16

$0.54 MX$9.30

-62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.75 DZD 2,352

$26.94 MX$462

-34.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 DZD 91.3

$3.13 MX$53.7

-77.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 DZD 48.24

$2.51 MX$43.09

-85.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 DZD 707

$3.15 MX$54.1

69.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 DZD 48.46

$1.27 MX$21.88

-70.87%

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

$32.1K DZD 4.3M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

5.67%

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

$33.2K DZD 4.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

40.89%

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

$40.84 DZD 5,413

$83.0 MX$1,425

-50.80%

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

$9.44 DZD 1,251

$22.71 MX$390

-58.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.81 DZD 2,228

$29.46 MX$506

-42.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.09 DZD 2,397

$51.0 MX$875

-64.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$5.47 DZD 725

$4.93 MX$84.5

10.95%

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

$93.2 DZD 12.3K

$197 MX$3,386

-52.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,527 DZD 467.4K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-33.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.53 DZD 4,842

$36.90 MX$633

-1.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.99 DZD 6,096

$39.89 MX$685

15.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 DZD 9,978

$80.0 MX$1,373

-5.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 DZD 10.1K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-14.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 DZD 25.6K

$956 MX$16.4K

-79.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 DZD 15.4K

$477 MX$8,189

-75.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 DZD 35.9K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-83.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 DZD 24.6K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-84.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,265 DZD 167.6K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-67.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,137 DZD 150.7K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-82.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$351 DZD 46.5K

$667 MX$11.4K

-47.42%

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 Sidi Bel Abbes: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $193 in Sidi Bel Abbes versus $956 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 90% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $250 – 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 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 $922 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes and $1,906 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 $615 in Sidi Bel Abbes and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% 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 $615, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.