Cost of Living Comparison Between Souk Ahras and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Souk Ahras and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $547 per month in Souk Ahras vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $837 per month in Souk Ahras vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,126 per month in Souk Ahras vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Souk Ahras is about 57% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Souk Ahras and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Souk Ahras 59% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.46 DZD 326

$11.87 MX$204

-79.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.96 DZD 1,453

$42.90 MX$736

-74.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 DZD 523

$10.65 MX$183

-62.91%

Cappuccino

$0.65 DZD 86.2

$3.45 MX$59.2

-81.16%

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

$0.50 DZD 65.9

$1.50 MX$25.81

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.57

$0.95 MX$16.28

-75.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DZD 255

$3.03 MX$51.9

-36.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 DZD 320

$4.61 MX$79.1

-47.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 DZD 107

$1.38 MX$23.61

-41.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 DZD 29.86

$1.85 MX$31.70

-87.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 DZD 166

$1.61 MX$27.65

-22.36%

Eggs

$1.94 DZD 258

$2.59 MX$44.51

-25.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.46 DZD 458

$8.26 MX$142

-58.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 DZD 378

$8.37 MX$144

-65.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 DZD 2,223

$10.66 MX$183

57.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 DZD 206

$2.63 MX$45.12

-40.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 DZD 391

$1.49 MX$25.53

97.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 DZD 163

$1.92 MX$32.94

-35.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 DZD 156

$2.09 MX$35.81

-43.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 DZD 57.9

$1.86 MX$31.88

-76.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 DZD 50.4

$2.26 MX$38.81

-83.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 DZD 30.36

$1.06 MX$18.23

-78.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 DZD 38.96

$1.09 MX$18.67

-73.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 DZD 303

$4.15 MX$71.2

-45.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 DZD 819

$10.39 MX$178

-40.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 DZD 171

$1.72 MX$29.59

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 DZD 288

$2.61 MX$44.85

-16.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 DZD 24.09

$0.54 MX$9.30

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.64 DZD 2,338

$26.94 MX$462

-34.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 DZD 87.2

$3.13 MX$53.7

-78.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 DZD 63.5

$2.51 MX$43.09

-80.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 DZD 708

$3.15 MX$54.1

69.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.05

$1.27 MX$21.88

-74.02%

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

$32.9K DZD 4.4M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

8.37%

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

$34.3K DZD 4.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

45.53%

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

$40.58 DZD 5,379

$83.0 MX$1,425

-51.11%

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

$9.30 DZD 1,233

$22.71 MX$390

-59.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.01 DZD 2,652

$29.46 MX$506

-32.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.05 DZD 1,598

$51.0 MX$875

-76.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.07 DZD 540

$18.33 MX$315

-77.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 DZD 719

$4.93 MX$84.5

9.94%

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

$91.5 DZD 12.1K

$197 MX$3,386

-53.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,633 DZD 481.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-31.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.65 DZD 4,062

$36.90 MX$633

-16.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.03 DZD 6,101

$39.89 MX$685

15.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 DZD 10.5K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 DZD 10.4K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 DZD 26.1K

$956 MX$16.4K

-79.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 DZD 15.2K

$477 MX$8,189

-76.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 DZD 40.4K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-81.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 DZD 24.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-85.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,133 DZD 150.1K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-71.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,151 DZD 152.5K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-82.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$297 DZD 39.4K

$667 MX$11.4K

-55.47%

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 Souk Ahras: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Souk Ahras 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 125% 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 $11.00 in Souk Ahras versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $250 – making Souk Ahras 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 132%, 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 $821 per month in Souk Ahras 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 Souk Ahras, 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 $547 in Souk Ahras 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 53% less in Souk Ahras. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Souk Ahras, where all-in costs run around $547, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Souk Ahras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Souk Ahras – 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 Souk Ahras. 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.