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: $1,694 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,420 in El Dorado, AR versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,147 in El Dorado, AR versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: El Dorado, AR is 26% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 $17.71

$11.73 MX$205

50.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$41.62 MX$727

41.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 $11.69

$10.64 MX$186

9.87%

Cappuccino

$4.78 $4.78

$3.52 MX$61.5

35.80%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$1.51 MX$26.37

86.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.97 MX$17.00

154.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.95 MX$51.5

66.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 $5.86

$4.45 MX$77.8

31.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.38 MX$24.16

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.89 MX$33.04

80.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.64 MX$28.59

82.93%

Eggs

$2.91 $2.91

$2.51 MX$43.76

15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 $9.73

$8.34 MX$146

16.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.41 $11.41

$8.34 MX$146

36.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 $16.97

$10.73 MX$187

58.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.60 MX$45.48

65.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.46 MX$25.45

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.90 MX$33.19

51.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.08 MX$36.26

87.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.78 MX$31.01

-12.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.19 MX$38.16

14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.04 MX$18.16

83.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.08 MX$18.80

65.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.68 $8.68

$4.08 MX$71.3

112.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.81 $11.81

$10.32 MX$180

14.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.71 MX$29.90

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.58 MX$44.98

-15.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.51 MX$8.90

301.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.26 MX$57.0

-25.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.49 MX$43.51

-40.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.61 $23.61

$3.25 MX$56.7

626.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.31 MX$22.83

-40.46%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-21.41%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

12.60%

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

$136 $136

$82.9 MX$1,447

63.55%

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

$58.1 $58.1

$22.22 MX$388

161.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.84 $39.84

$29.34 MX$512

35.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.34 $42.34

$51.6 MX$902

-17.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 $9.24

$5.07 MX$88.5

82.25%

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

$1,020 $1,020

$201 MX$3,507

407.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K $18.9K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

262.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 $54.8

$36.92 MX$645

48.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.28 $35.28

$39.79 MX$695

-11.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 $78.4

$78.5 MX$1,370

-0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.5 $60.5

$87.1 MX$1,521

-30.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 $1,603

$973 MX$17.0K

64.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 $607

$468 MX$8,169

29.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 $2,200

$1,641 MX$28.7K

34.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$809 $809

$1,221 MX$21.3K

-33.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,421 $2,421

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-38.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,433 $2,433

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-62.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,130 $4,130

$664 MX$11.6K

522.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

11.42

-42.38%

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

Last update for El Dorado, AR: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in El Dorado, AR and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Dorado, AR pays 522% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $249 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.

El Dorado, AR pays 522% more on average, 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: $1,603 in El Dorado, AR versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in El Dorado, AR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,694 per month in El Dorado, AR versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,694 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.