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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,239 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,093 in Conway, AR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,095 in Conway, AR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,096 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,097 in Conway, AR.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 41% less than in Conway, AR, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 8% below, Conway, AR is 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$202

$18.12 $18.12

-38.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 MX$806

$60.5 $60.5

-26.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 MX$215

$11.02 $11.02

8.08%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$68.9

$5.13 $5.13

-25.73%

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

$1.38 MX$24.86

$2.19 $2.19

-36.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$14.39

$2.14 $2.14

-62.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$56.3

$4.49 $4.49

-30.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MX$89.8

$6.34 $6.34

-21.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$27.29

$0.91 $0.91

65.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 MX$40.58

$3.39 $3.39

-33.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MX$27.22

$2.21 $2.21

-31.67%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.52

$3.67 $3.67

-32.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 MX$135

$11.14 $11.14

-32.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 MX$146

$8.60 $8.60

-6.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 MX$236

$15.60 $15.60

-16.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MX$51.2

$4.42 $4.42

-35.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MX$26.65

$1.09 $1.09

34.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MX$48.67

$3.12 $3.12

-13.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.58

$4.28 $4.28

-51.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$35.35

$1.68 $1.68

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.34

$2.40 $2.40

-16.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$21.86

$1.74 $1.74

-30.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MX$22.24

$2.08 $2.08

-40.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MX$80.6

$9.06 $9.06

-50.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 MX$180

$13.62 $13.62

-26.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$29.48

$1.78 $1.78

-8.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MX$50.6

$4.30 $4.30

-34.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$10.45

$1.31 $1.31

-55.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.28 MX$511

$35.77 $35.77

-20.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 MX$87.7

$3.09 $3.09

56.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$63.2

$1.46 $1.46

139.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 MX$102

$24.43 $24.43

-76.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.30

$0.87 $0.87

67.82%

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

$21.4K MX$386.6K

$35.7K $35.7K

-40.15%

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

$24.0K MX$433.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-10.63%

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

$86.3 MX$1,560

$271 $271

-68.11%

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

$23.96 MX$433

$40.11 $40.11

-40.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.93 MX$523

$73.9 $73.9

-60.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 MX$1,168

$25.11 $25.11

157.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 MX$525

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 MX$92.7

$11.78 $11.78

-56.45%

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

$211 MX$3,820

$779 $779

-72.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.1K

$10.2K $10.2K

-60.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 MX$799

$73.9 $73.9

-40.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.35 MX$783

$36.16 $36.16

19.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MX$1,390

$77.9 $77.9

-1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,598

$124 $124

-28.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 MX$18.0K

$834 $834

19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MX$6,842

$856 $856

-55.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 MX$31.9K

$1,260 $1,260

40.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MX$20.4K

$1,520 $1,520

-25.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 MX$72.5K

$1,645 $1,645

143.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,392 MX$115.5K

$1,663 $1,663

284.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 MX$13.9K

$3,222 $3,222

-76.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.12

87.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 27, 2026

Last update for Conway, AR: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $996 in Playa del Carmen and $834 in Conway, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Conway, AR pays 319% 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: $45.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $60.0 in Conway, AR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $339 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Conway, AR differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,239 vs $2,093 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 319% lower in Conway, AR. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $996 in Playa del Carmen versus $834 in Conway, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Conway, AR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $60.0 in Conway, AR. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,239 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,093 in Conway, AR, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Conway, AR. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Conway, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.