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 $524 per month in Souk Ahras vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $819 per month in Souk Ahras vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,114 per month in Souk Ahras vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Souk Ahras is about 60% 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 62% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 DZD 314

$11.96 MX$203

-80.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.90 DZD 1,445

$47.38 MX$804

-76.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 DZD 549

$11.75 MX$199

-64.77%

Cappuccino

$0.66 DZD 88.1

$4.12 MX$70.0

-83.98%

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

$0.54 DZD 71.4

$1.40 MX$23.74

-61.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.57

$0.91 MX$15.48

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 DZD 192

$3.21 MX$54.4

-54.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 DZD 294

$7.07 MX$120

-68.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 DZD 109

$1.68 MX$28.44

-51.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 DZD 27.79

$2.15 MX$36.48

-90.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 DZD 167

$1.77 MX$30.10

-28.81%

Eggs

$1.36 DZD 180

$2.82 MX$47.76

-51.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.46 DZD 459

$9.20 MX$156

-62.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 DZD 377

$9.23 MX$157

-69.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.73 DZD 2,219

$12.64 MX$214

32.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 DZD 198

$2.95 MX$50.1

-49.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 DZD 400

$1.58 MX$26.79

91.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 DZD 154

$2.22 MX$37.70

-47.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 DZD 124

$2.36 MX$40.09

-60.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 DZD 57.9

$1.99 MX$33.81

-77.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 DZD 55.5

$1.98 MX$33.58

-78.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.25 DZD 33.22

$1.24 MX$21.04

-79.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 DZD 38.91

$1.21 MX$20.55

-76.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.27 DZD 300

$4.60 MX$78.1

-50.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.05 DZD 934

$10.52 MX$178

-32.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 DZD 176

$1.69 MX$28.70

-21.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 DZD 258

$2.77 MX$47.06

-29.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 DZD 24.93

$0.60 MX$10.22

-68.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.31 DZD 837

$29.70 MX$504

-78.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 DZD 78.8

$5.24 MX$88.8

-88.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 DZD 67.0

$3.65 MX$61.9

-86.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 DZD 690

$5.78 MX$98.1

-10.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.06

$1.54 MX$26.09

-78.57%

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

$37.0K DZD 4.9M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

62.16%

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

$35.7K DZD 4.7M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

38.20%

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

$38.43 DZD 5,097

$90.7 MX$1,538

-57.62%

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

$9.36 DZD 1,241

$25.19 MX$427

-62.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 DZD 2,647

$31.75 MX$539

-37.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.07 DZD 1,600

$68.8 MX$1,167

-82.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.11 DZD 545

$29.37 MX$498

-86.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 DZD 604

$4.86 MX$82.5

-6.17%

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

$94.0 DZD 12.5K

$226 MX$3,828

-58.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,402 DZD 451.2K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-18.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.71 DZD 4,073

$47.38 MX$804

-35.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 DZD 4,724

$43.45 MX$737

-18.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 DZD 10.8K

$80.2 MX$1,361

1.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 DZD 10.6K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-12.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 DZD 20.8K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-85.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 DZD 14.1K

$409 MX$6,933

-73.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 DZD 39.4K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-84.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 DZD 23.9K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-85.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,294 DZD 171.6K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-68.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$275 DZD 36.4K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-95.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 DZD 40.0K

$773 MX$13.1K

-60.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.3

11.45

-53.71%

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

Last update for Souk Ahras: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $157 in Souk Ahras versus $1,086 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 156% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $162 vs $278 – 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 149%, 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 $786 per month in Souk Ahras and $1,958 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 $524 in Souk Ahras and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 371% 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 $524, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.