Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, AR and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, AR and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,148 per month in Fayetteville, AR vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,338 per month in Fayetteville, AR vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,528 per month in Fayetteville, AR vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Fayetteville, AR costs about 70% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Fayetteville, AR sits 61% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.47 $16.47

$11.72 MX$204

40.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 $60.7

$41.89 MX$731

44.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 $8.98

$10.51 MX$183

-14.56%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$3.59 MX$62.5

37.60%

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

$2.08 $2.08

$1.51 MX$26.31

37.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.92 MX$15.96

47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.96 MX$51.6

71.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 $6.17

$4.41 MX$76.9

39.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.40 MX$24.35

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.88 MX$32.87

79.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.56 MX$27.19

99.36%

Eggs

$2.92 $2.92

$2.61 MX$45.50

11.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 $8.08

$8.32 MX$145

-2.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 $8.37

$8.35 MX$146

0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.61 $13.61

$10.86 MX$189

25.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.71 MX$47.31

67.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.51 MX$26.25

-5.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.87 MX$32.67

42.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.19 MX$38.19

77.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.86 MX$32.40

2.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.23 MX$38.90

8.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.07 MX$18.63

42.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.09 MX$18.94

83.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.72 $8.72

$4.19 MX$73.0

108.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$10.43 MX$182

41.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.66 MX$28.91

4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.61 MX$45.56

-17.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.54 MX$9.45

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.08 MX$53.7

-21.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.40 MX$41.94

-48.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.28 $24.28

$3.13 MX$54.5

675.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.31 MX$22.87

-38.93%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-20.48%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

12.59%

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

$176 $176

$81.3 MX$1,418

116.15%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$22.56 MX$393

133.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$30.05 MX$524

111.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.3 $71.3

$52.9 MX$923

34.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 $12.56

$4.92 MX$85.8

155.28%

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

$1,051 $1,051

$201 MX$3,502

423.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K $18.6K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

260.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 $54.0

$35.92 MX$627

50.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.67 $41.67

$40.13 MX$700

3.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 $99.8

$79.7 MX$1,390

25.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$86.5 MX$1,508

34.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,562 $1,562

$978 MX$17.1K

59.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 $1,014

$470 MX$8,206

115.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,778 $2,778

$1,651 MX$28.8K

68.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 $2,070

$1,203 MX$21.0K

72.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,648 $2,648

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-33.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,263 $2,263

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-65.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,520 $3,520

$677 MX$11.8K

420.29%

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 Fayetteville, AR: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,562 in Fayetteville, AR versus $978 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 420% higher in Fayetteville, AR, 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 $61.0 in Fayetteville, AR versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $252 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,148 in Fayetteville, AR, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 70% apart. Fayetteville, AR costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,222 per month in Fayetteville, AR and $1,890 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Fayetteville, AR and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Fayetteville, AR, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Fayetteville, AR at $2,148. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fayetteville, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $2,148 in Fayetteville, AR. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fayetteville, AR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.