Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
125

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

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

North Little Rock, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,560

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in North Little Rock, AR

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in North Little Rock, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Playa del Carmen is about 53% cheaper than North Little Rock, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 MX$198

$19.13 $19.13

-43.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.03 MX$791

$74.8 $74.8

-42.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 MX$217

$11.17 $11.17

5.55%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$71.1

$5.10 $5.10

-24.12%

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

$1.37 MX$25.16

$2.59 $2.59

-47.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MX$15.37

$2.05 $2.05

-59.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.10 MX$57.0

$6.15 $6.15

-49.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MX$93.1

$7.02 $7.02

-27.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.41

$1.01 $1.01

42.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 MX$41.02

$3.42 $3.42

-34.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$27.04

$4.41 $4.41

-66.67%

Eggs

$2.53 MX$46.48

$4.09 $4.09

-38.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 MX$134

$12.50 $12.50

-41.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 MX$145

$11.62 $11.62

-32.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 MX$235

$15.58 $15.58

-17.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$53.3

$4.81 $4.81

-39.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.40

$1.59 $1.59

-9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$46.84

$4.32 $4.32

-40.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$37.84

$4.62 $4.62

-55.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$36.79

$2.91 $2.91

-31.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.88

$2.81 $2.81

-28.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$21.91

$2.11 $2.11

-43.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$23.11

$2.19 $2.19

-42.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MX$81.0

$9.69 $9.69

-54.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 MX$176

$14.22 $14.22

-32.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.27

$1.80 $1.80

-11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$51.7

$3.30 $3.30

-14.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$10.41

$2.05 $2.05

-72.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MX$512

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MX$91.7

$3.47 $3.47

43.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$64.3

$1.66 $1.66

110.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MX$99.3

$29.36 $29.36

-81.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$26.94

$0.89 $0.89

65.17%

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

$21.0K MX$385.9K

$29.1K $29.1K

-27.83%

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

$23.9K MX$439.6K

$25.6K $25.6K

-6.44%

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

$84.2 MX$1,548

$188 $188

-55.10%

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

$23.99 MX$441

$52.3 $52.3

-54.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.02 MX$534

$68.0 $68.0

-57.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 MX$1,158

$43.86 $43.86

43.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$536

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MX$90.9

$13.29 $13.29

-62.83%

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

$204 MX$3,744

$1,315 $1,315

-84.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,941 MX$72.5K

$23.2K $23.2K

-82.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.60 MX$802

$50.3 $50.3

-13.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 MX$793

$40.56 $40.56

6.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 MX$1,393

$87.0 $87.0

-12.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 MX$1,629

$113 $113

-21.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 MX$18.5K

$1,618 $1,618

-37.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 MX$6,877

$1,332 $1,332

-71.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.4K

$2,603 $2,603

-34.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 MX$20.3K

$2,238 $2,238

-50.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 MX$72.5K

$2,791 $2,791

41.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,169 MX$113.4K

$2,474 $2,474

149.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 MX$13.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.51

75.88%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Last update for North Little Rock, AR: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9%

North Little Rock, AR

$1.3K 52% 256% $958

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4%

North Little Rock, AR

$388 15.2% 50% $129

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7%

North Little Rock, AR

$311 12.2% 53.8% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3%

North Little Rock, AR

$308 12% 124% $171

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3%

North Little Rock, AR

$131 5.1% 16% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$73 6%

North Little Rock, AR

$70 2.8% 3.3% $2.4

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3%

North Little Rock, AR

$20 * 0.8% 62% $33

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,618 in North Little Rock, AR. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.0 in North Little Rock, AR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $388 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 North Little Rock, AR

🕒 Local time

08:53 8:53 AM

Same time as Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

64,591

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.44 USD

100 MXN = 4.85 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 18.39 MXN (100 MXN = 5.44 USD). 1 EUR = 20.6 MXN (100 MXN = 4.85 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Playa del Carmen
North Little Rock, AR

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

Playa del Carmen vs North Little Rock, AR: 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 $1,816 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,840 in North Little Rock, AR. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $75.0 in North Little Rock, AR. 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.