Cost of Living Comparison Between El Dorado, AR and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between El Dorado, AR and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,697 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,490 in El Dorado, AR versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,283 in El Dorado, AR versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in El Dorado, AR is roughly 31% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: El Dorado, AR is 23% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 $17.33

$11.71 MX$198

47.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$46.59 MX$786

26.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 $11.09

$11.65 MX$197

-4.81%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$4.09 MX$69.1

26.41%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$1.37 MX$23.20

123.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.83 MX$14.07

191.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.35 MX$56.6

47.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 $6.46

$6.91 MX$117

-6.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.73 MX$29.15

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.26 MX$38.15

19.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.77 MX$29.86

59.32%

Eggs

$3.42 $3.42

$2.73 MX$46.12

25.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 $9.96

$9.18 MX$155

8.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 $12.00

$8.92 MX$151

34.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 $22.26

$12.60 MX$213

76.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.02 MX$51.0

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.57 MX$26.51

-5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.13 MX$35.88

31.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.26 MX$38.22

74.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.00 MX$33.82

-21.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.06 MX$34.85

19.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.18 MX$19.91

68.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.20 MX$20.32

54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$4.63 MX$78.2

99.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 $11.90

$10.69 MX$180

11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.62 MX$27.33

8.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.88 MX$48.63

-41.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.57 MX$9.68

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$5.45 MX$91.9

-54.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.70 MX$62.5

-60.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.25 $24.25

$5.98 MX$101

305.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.55 MX$26.22

-41.94%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

66.73%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-1.87%

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

$134 $134

$89.1 MX$1,504

50.78%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$25.04 MX$423

135.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.30 $39.30

$31.50 MX$532

24.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.29 $42.29

$67.8 MX$1,144

-37.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 $9.25

$5.05 MX$85.2

83.17%

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

$1,045 $1,045

$225 MX$3,797

364.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K $19.0K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

349.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$47.44 MX$801

6.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.70 $34.70

$44.98 MX$759

-22.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$82.0 MX$1,384

-2.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 $60.9

$92.1 MX$1,555

-33.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 $1,518

$1,069 MX$18.0K

41.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 $661

$405 MX$6,842

63.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,865 $1,865

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 $944

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-27.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,632 $2,632

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-34.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,452 $2,452

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-63.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,116 $4,116

$749 MX$12.6K

449.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

11.45

-45.41%

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

Last update for El Dorado, AR: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,518 in El Dorado, AR and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Dorado, AR pays 450% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $59.0 in El Dorado, AR vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $277 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

El Dorado, AR vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 450% higher in El Dorado, AR, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,518 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in El Dorado, AR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,697 per month in El Dorado, AR versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,697 in El Dorado, AR, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in El Dorado, AR. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in El Dorado, AR, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in El Dorado, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.