Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $2,110 in Jonesboro, AR, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Jonesboro, AR
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Jonesboro, AR Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Jonesboro, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,110

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jonesboro, AR and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jonesboro, AR and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,110 in Jonesboro, AR versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen.

Jonesboro, AR $2,110
Playa del Carmen $1,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,960 in Jonesboro, AR versus $2,113 in Playa del Carmen.

Jonesboro, AR $2,960
Playa del Carmen $2,113

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,809 in Jonesboro, AR versus $3,016 in Playa del Carmen.

Jonesboro, AR $3,809
Playa del Carmen $3,016

Living in Jonesboro, AR is roughly 74% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jonesboro, AR is 56% above, Playa del Carmen is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.13 $27.13

$10.76 MX$199

152.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 $60.7

$43.03 MX$795

40.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 $10.45

$11.79 MX$218

-11.37%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$3.87 MX$71.4

27.39%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$1.37 MX$25.29

61.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.84 MX$15.44

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.10 MX$57.3

41.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 $6.65

$5.07 MX$93.6

31.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.44 MX$26.55

-21.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.23 MX$41.23

50.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.47 MX$27.17

45.58%

Eggs

$3.61 $3.61

$2.53 MX$46.71

42.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 $8.87

$7.30 MX$135

21.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.76 $8.76

$7.86 MX$145

11.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 $11.54

$12.79 MX$236

-9.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.90 MX$53.6

47.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.44 MX$26.53

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.55 MX$47.07

16.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.06 MX$38.03

87.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.00 MX$36.97

-14.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.01 MX$37.07

22.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.19 MX$22.02

47.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.26 MX$23.23

58.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 $8.10

$4.40 MX$81.4

84.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 $13.55

$9.59 MX$177

41.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.59 MX$29.41

11.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.81 MX$51.9

32.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.57 MX$10.47

98.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.75 $29.75

$27.82 MX$514

6.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$4.98 MX$92.1

-38.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 $1.45

$3.50 MX$64.6

-58.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.47 $28.47

$5.40 MX$99.8

427.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.47 MX$27.08

-42.86%

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

$32.1K $32.1K

$21.0K MX$387.8K

52.89%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.9K MX$441.8K

8.02%

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

$221 $221

$84.2 MX$1,556

161.92%

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

$45.73 $45.73

$23.99 MX$443

90.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 $71.6

$29.02 MX$536

146.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.18 $40.18

$63.0 MX$1,164

-36.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.90 $10.90

$29.14 MX$539

-62.59%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 $12.18

$4.94 MX$91.3

146.56%

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

$763 $763

$204 MX$3,763

274.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,367 $8,367

$3,941 MX$72.8K

112.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 $63.4

$43.60 MX$806

45.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.22 $36.22

$43.12 MX$797

-16.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$75.8 MX$1,400

4.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$88.6 MX$1,637

20.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 $1,134

$1,008 MX$18.6K

12.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 $860

$374 MX$6,911

129.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,436 $1,436

$1,708 MX$31.6K

-15.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 $1,140

$1,106 MX$20.4K

3.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 $1,567

$3,944 MX$72.9K

-60.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,557 $1,557

$6,169 MX$114.0K

-74.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,356 $3,356

$754 MX$13.9K

345.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.45

-44.45%

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

Last update for Jonesboro, AR: October 10, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Jonesboro, AR

$860 40.7%

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9% 56.5% $486

Eating Out

Jonesboro, AR

$359 17%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7% 43.6% $156

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jonesboro, AR

$338 16%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3% 59.4% $201

Groceries & Markets

Jonesboro, AR

$316 15%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4% 18.3% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Jonesboro, AR

$129 6.1%

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3% 12.1% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Jonesboro, AR

$65 3.1%

Playa del Carmen

$73 6% 12.9% $8.3

Getting Around

Jonesboro, AR

$45 2.1%

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3% 17.9% $8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Jonesboro, AR and $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jonesboro, AR pays 345% 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: $61.0 in Jonesboro, AR vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $258 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Jonesboro, AR

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

01:26 1:26 AM

Same time as Jonesboro, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

78,576

149,923

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

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Jonesboro, AR Playa del Carmen 1,730 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Jonesboro, AR
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 345% higher in Jonesboro, 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: $1,134 in Jonesboro, AR versus $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,110 per month in Jonesboro, AR versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 7% less than in Jonesboro, AR. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,110 in Jonesboro, AR, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Jonesboro, 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 Jonesboro, 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 74% less than in Jonesboro, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.