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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,577 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,806 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,036 per month in North Little Rock, AR vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

North Little Rock, AR costs about 100% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

North Little Rock, AR sits 92% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.25 $19.25

$11.94 MX$208

61.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 $74.2

$42.75 MX$744

73.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 $11.13

$10.59 MX$184

5.10%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$3.62 MX$63.0

41.99%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.47 MX$25.54

69.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.94 MX$16.41

108.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$3.09 MX$53.8

97.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$4.46 MX$77.6

60.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.43 MX$24.80

-26.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.88 MX$32.79

90.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.63 MX$28.34

168.10%

Eggs

$4.13 $4.13

$2.64 MX$45.99

56.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 $12.20

$8.21 MX$143

48.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 $11.46

$8.29 MX$144

38.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.72 $15.72

$11.10 MX$193

41.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.65 MX$46.14

84.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.50 MX$26.11

5.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.99 MX$34.59

115.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.08 MX$36.13

121.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.79 MX$31.11

59.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.18 MX$37.87

33.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.08 MX$18.73

94.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.04 MX$18.04

108.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.64 $9.64

$3.97 MX$69.1

142.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 $14.06

$10.20 MX$178

37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.73 MX$30.04

5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.50 MX$43.46

33.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.52 MX$9.02

294.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.14 MX$54.7

14.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.40 MX$41.80

-31.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.31 $29.31

$3.09 MX$53.7

848.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.27 MX$22.16

-29.13%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-2.65%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

9.25%

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

$188 $188

$82.0 MX$1,427

129.67%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$22.45 MX$391

133.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 $68.6

$29.66 MX$516

131.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.91 $42.91

$51.9 MX$903

-17.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 $13.43

$4.97 MX$86.5

170.22%

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

$1,285 $1,285

$198 MX$3,442

549.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

348.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.98 $49.98

$36.34 MX$632

37.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.90 $39.90

$40.05 MX$697

-0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 $87.3

$79.9 MX$1,390

9.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$88.9 MX$1,547

26.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 $1,611

$963 MX$16.8K

67.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$465 MX$8,086

194.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,653 $2,653

$1,596 MX$27.8K

66.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,209 $2,209

$1,209 MX$21.0K

82.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,823 $2,823

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-28.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,426 $2,426

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-62.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for North Little Rock, AR: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,611 in North 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in North Little Rock, AR versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $251 – 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

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

Yes – North Little Rock, AR is pricier by about 100%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,865 per month in North Little Rock, AR and $1,930 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 $74.0 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 55% 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 $1,287, than in North Little Rock, AR at $2,577. 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.