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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,097 in Jonesboro, AR versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,980 in Jonesboro, AR versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,863 in Jonesboro, AR versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jonesboro, AR is roughly 62% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jonesboro, AR is 53% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.90 $27.90

$11.71 MX$198

138.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 $59.5

$46.59 MX$788

27.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 $10.60

$11.65 MX$197

-9.01%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$4.09 MX$69.2

25.43%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$1.37 MX$23.23

62.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.83 MX$14.09

116.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.35 MX$56.7

30.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.41 $6.41

$6.91 MX$117

-7.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.73 MX$29.20

-35.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.26 MX$38.21

46.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.77 MX$29.91

20.34%

Eggs

$3.62 $3.62

$2.73 MX$46.19

32.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 $8.77

$9.18 MX$155

-4.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$8.92 MX$151

1.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 $11.52

$12.60 MX$213

-8.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.02 MX$51.1

43.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.57 MX$26.55

-28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.13 MX$35.93

39.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.26 MX$38.28

71.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.00 MX$33.88

-16.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.06 MX$34.90

18.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.18 MX$19.94

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.20 MX$20.35

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.31 $8.31

$4.63 MX$78.4

79.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 $13.73

$10.69 MX$181

28.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.62 MX$27.38

14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.88 MX$48.70

30.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 $1.10

$0.57 MX$9.69

92.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.25 $30.25

$29.83 MX$504

1.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$5.45 MX$92.1

-45.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$3.70 MX$62.6

-61.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.68 $27.68

$5.98 MX$101

362.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.55 MX$26.26

-48.39%

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

$31.3K $31.3K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

40.27%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

2.02%

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

$222 $222

$89.1 MX$1,507

149.49%

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

$46.43 $46.43

$25.04 MX$423

85.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 $71.8

$31.50 MX$532

128.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.75 $40.75

$67.8 MX$1,146

-39.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.99 $10.99

$28.92 MX$489

-62.00%

Cinema Ticket

$12.14 $12.14

$5.05 MX$85.4

140.40%

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

$759 $759

$225 MX$3,803

237.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,488 $8,488

$4,222 MX$71.4K

101.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$47.44 MX$802

35.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.31 $36.31

$44.98 MX$760

-19.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 $78.5

$82.0 MX$1,386

-4.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$92.1 MX$1,557

17.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 $1,163

$1,069 MX$18.1K

8.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 $852

$405 MX$6,852

110.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 $1,412

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-27.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 $1,146

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-11.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,575 $1,575

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-60.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,545 $1,545

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-76.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,410 $3,410

$749 MX$12.7K

355.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

11.45

-46.99%

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

Last update for Jonesboro, AR: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,163 in Jonesboro, AR and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jonesboro, AR pays 355% 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: $60.0 in Jonesboro, AR vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 355% 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: $1,163 in Jonesboro, AR versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,097 per month in Jonesboro, AR versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 62% 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 1% less than in Jonesboro, AR. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,097 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 62% less than in Jonesboro, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.