Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $2,560 in North Little Rock, AR, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in North Little Rock, AR
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North Little Rock, AR Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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North Little Rock, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,560

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in North Little Rock, 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 North Little Rock, AR and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,560 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

North Little Rock, AR $2,560
Playa del Carmen $1,210

A couple spends around $3,762 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $2,113 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

North Little Rock, AR $3,762
Playa del Carmen $2,113

A family of three spends $4,964 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $3,016 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

North Little Rock, AR $4,964
Playa del Carmen $3,016

North Little Rock, AR costs about 111% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

North Little Rock, AR sits 90% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.13 $19.13

$10.76 MX$196

77.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 $74.8

$43.03 MX$786

73.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 $11.17

$11.79 MX$215

-5.26%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$3.87 MX$70.6

31.78%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$1.37 MX$24.98

89.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.84 MX$15.26

144.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$3.10 MX$56.6

98.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 $7.02

$5.07 MX$92.5

38.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.44 MX$26.23

-29.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.23 MX$40.74

53.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.47 MX$26.84

200.00%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$2.53 MX$46.15

61.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 $12.50

$7.30 MX$133

71.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 $11.62

$7.86 MX$143

47.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 $15.58

$12.79 MX$234

21.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.90 MX$53.0

65.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.44 MX$26.21

10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.55 MX$46.51

69.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.06 MX$37.57

124.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.00 MX$36.53

45.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.01 MX$36.62

39.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.19 MX$21.75

77.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.26 MX$22.95

73.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.69 $9.69

$4.40 MX$80.4

120.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.22 $14.22

$9.59 MX$175

48.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.59 MX$29.06

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.81 MX$51.3

17.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.57 MX$10.34

259.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MX$508

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.98 MX$91.0

-30.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.50 MX$63.9

-52.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.36 $29.36

$5.40 MX$98.6

443.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.47 MX$26.75

-39.46%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$21.0K MX$383.2K

38.56%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.9K MX$436.5K

6.89%

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

$188 $188

$84.2 MX$1,537

122.72%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$23.99 MX$438

118.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.0 $68.0

$29.02 MX$530

134.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.86 $43.86

$63.0 MX$1,150

-30.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$532

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 $13.29

$4.94 MX$90.2

169.03%

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

$1,315 $1,315

$204 MX$3,718

545.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$3,941 MX$72.0K

487.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$43.60 MX$796

15.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 $40.56

$43.12 MX$787

-5.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$75.8 MX$1,383

14.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$88.6 MX$1,617

27.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,618 $1,618

$1,008 MX$18.4K

60.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 $1,332

$374 MX$6,829

256.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,603 $2,603

$1,708 MX$31.2K

52.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,238 $2,238

$1,106 MX$20.2K

102.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 $2,791

$3,944 MX$72.0K

-29.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,474 $2,474

$6,169 MX$112.6K

-59.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 MX$13.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.45

-43.14%

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

Last update for North Little Rock, AR: October 11, 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

North Little Rock, AR

$1.3K 52%

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9% 71.9% $958

Groceries & Markets

North Little Rock, AR

$388 15.2%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4% 33.3% $129

Eating Out

North Little Rock, AR

$311 12.2%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7% 35% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

North Little Rock, AR

$308 12%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3% 55.4% $171

Clothing & Footwear

North Little Rock, AR

$131 5.1%

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3% 13.8% $18

Sport & Entertainment

North Little Rock, AR

$70 2.8%

Playa del Carmen

$73 6% 3.4% $2.4

Getting Around

North Little Rock, AR

$20 * 0.8%

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3% 163% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,618 in North Little Rock, AR versus $1,008 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in North Little Rock, AR versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 North Little Rock, AR

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

06:11 6:11 AM

Same time as North Little Rock, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

64,591

149,923

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

100 MXN = 5.48 USD

100 MXN = 4.91 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 13, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 18.26 MXN (100 MXN = 5.48 USD). 1 EUR = 20.38 MXN (100 MXN = 4.91 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

North Little Rock, AR Playa del Carmen 1,650 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

North Little Rock, 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

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

Yes – North Little Rock, AR is pricier by about 111%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,840 per month in North Little Rock, AR and $1,816 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 $75.0 in North Little Rock, AR and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in North 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 $1,210, than in North Little Rock, AR at $2,560. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Little Rock, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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