Cost of Living Comparison Between Little Rock, AR and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Little Rock, AR and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,304 per month in Little Rock, AR vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,183 per month in Little Rock, AR vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,062 per month in Little Rock, AR vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Little Rock, AR costs about 83% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Little Rock, AR sits 71% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.84 $17.84

$11.61 MX$201

53.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 $59.3

$42.75 MX$742

38.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 $11.53

$10.60 MX$184

8.77%

Cappuccino

$4.78 $4.78

$3.59 MX$62.3

33.15%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$1.45 MX$25.21

95.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.90 MX$15.58

162.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.03 MX$52.6

60.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 $5.83

$4.56 MX$79.2

27.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.45 MX$25.20

-29.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.83 MX$31.72

86.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.61 MX$27.92

83.23%

Eggs

$3.05 $3.05

$2.54 MX$44.05

20.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 $9.46

$8.54 MX$148

10.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 $11.64

$8.47 MX$147

37.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.56 $16.56

$10.86 MX$189

52.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.73 MX$47.37

70.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.49 MX$25.91

-6.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.94 MX$33.73

44.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.16 MX$37.57

81.94%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.85 MX$32.05

117.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.19 MX$38.00

15.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.07 MX$18.62

84.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.08 MX$18.81

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.30 $8.30

$4.06 MX$70.5

104.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 $12.21

$10.46 MX$182

16.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.65 MX$28.71

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.55 MX$44.23

-11.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.56 MX$9.65

144.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.79 $35.79

$26.20 MX$455

36.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.14 MX$54.5

-21.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.37 MX$41.17

-38.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.99 $23.99

$3.24 MX$56.2

640.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.31 MX$22.81

-41.22%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-20.84%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

7.00%

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

$281 $281

$83.1 MX$1,443

238.32%

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

$57.7 $57.7

$22.15 MX$385

160.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$29.37 MX$510

142.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$51.2 MX$889

3.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.24 $12.24

$18.69 MX$324

-34.51%

Cinema Ticket

$12.29 $12.29

$4.89 MX$84.9

151.33%

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

$1,035 $1,035

$199 MX$3,449

421.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K $18.7K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

259.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 $53.9

$35.93 MX$624

49.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.73 $40.73

$39.39 MX$684

3.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$80.3 MX$1,394

28.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$87.6 MX$1,520

33.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 $1,277

$963 MX$16.7K

32.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 $954

$482 MX$8,370

97.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 $1,805

$1,645 MX$28.6K

9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 $1,276

$1,192 MX$20.7K

7.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 $1,955

$3,957 MX$68.7K

-50.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,381 $1,381

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-78.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,828 $3,828

$726 MX$12.6K

427.08%

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 Little Rock, AR: April 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,277 in Little Rock, AR versus $963 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 427% higher in Little Rock, 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 $59 in Little Rock, AR versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $253 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,304 in Little Rock, AR, $1,262 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 83% apart. Little Rock, AR costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,456 per month in Little Rock, AR and $1,894 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,035 per month in Little Rock, AR and $199 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Little Rock, 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 $1,262, than in Little Rock, AR at $2,304. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Little Rock, 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 $1,262 in Playa del Carmen to $2,304 in Little Rock, AR. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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