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 $610 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $957 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,304 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sidi Bel Abbes is about 53% 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.26 DZD 432

$11.94 MX$208

-72.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.28 DZD 2,823

$42.75 MX$744

-50.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 DZD 503

$10.59 MX$184

-64.12%

Cappuccino

$0.38 DZD 49.79

$3.62 MX$63.0

-89.50%

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

$0.60 DZD 80.2

$1.47 MX$25.54

-59.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 DZD 35.62

$0.94 MX$16.41

-71.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 DZD 260

$3.09 MX$53.8

-36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 DZD 323

$4.46 MX$77.6

-45.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 DZD 131

$1.43 MX$24.80

-31.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.09 DZD 11.60

$1.88 MX$32.79

-95.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 DZD 208

$1.63 MX$28.34

-3.68%

Eggs

$1.84 DZD 244

$2.64 MX$45.99

-30.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 DZD 1,171

$8.21 MX$143

7.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 DZD 709

$8.29 MX$144

-35.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.26 DZD 2,157

$11.10 MX$193

46.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 DZD 420

$2.65 MX$46.14

19.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 DZD 372

$1.50 MX$26.11

86.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 DZD 227

$1.99 MX$34.59

-14.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 DZD 99.9

$2.08 MX$36.13

-63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 DZD 74.1

$1.79 MX$31.11

-68.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 66.1

$2.18 MX$37.87

-77.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 DZD 79.7

$1.08 MX$18.73

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 DZD 49.49

$1.04 MX$18.04

-64.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 DZD 356

$3.97 MX$69.1

-32.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.73 DZD 1,290

$10.20 MX$178

-4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 DZD 177

$1.73 MX$30.04

-22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 DZD 285

$2.50 MX$43.46

-14.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 DZD 25.41

$0.52 MX$9.02

-63.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.66 DZD 2,342

$26.97 MX$469

-34.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 DZD 95.9

$3.14 MX$54.7

-77.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 DZD 44.20

$2.40 MX$41.80

-86.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 DZD 683

$3.09 MX$53.7

66.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 48.20

$1.27 MX$22.16

-71.65%

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

$33.0K DZD 4.4M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

6.87%

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

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

44.98%

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

$40.32 DZD 5,347

$82.0 MX$1,427

-50.84%

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

$9.19 DZD 1,219

$22.45 MX$391

-59.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.26 DZD 2,289

$29.66 MX$516

-41.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.10 DZD 2,401

$51.9 MX$903

-65.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 DZD 724

$4.97 MX$86.5

9.86%

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

$94.8 DZD 12.6K

$198 MX$3,442

-52.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,530 DZD 468.2K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-33.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.78 DZD 4,878

$36.34 MX$632

1.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.65 DZD 6,053

$40.05 MX$697

13.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 DZD 9,797

$79.9 MX$1,390

-7.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 DZD 10.1K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-14.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 DZD 25.4K

$963 MX$16.8K

-80.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 DZD 15.3K

$465 MX$8,086

-75.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 DZD 36.4K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-82.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 DZD 24.3K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-84.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$363 DZD 48.1K

$720 MX$12.5K

-49.67%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $191 in Sidi Bel Abbes versus $963 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 99% 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 $21.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $251 – 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 111%, 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 $915 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes and $1,930 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 $610 in Sidi Bel Abbes and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 53% 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 $610, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.