Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bien Hoa and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Bien Hoa: $673 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Bien Hoa
🇻🇳 Vietnam
$673
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bien Hoa and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bien Hoa and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $673 in Bien Hoa versus $1,548 in Mexico City.

  • Bien Hoa $673
  • Mexico City $1,548

Estimated couple costs with rent: $924 in Bien Hoa versus $2,436 in Mexico City.

  • Bien Hoa $924
  • Mexico City $2,436

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,175 in Bien Hoa versus $3,323 in Mexico City.

  • Bien Hoa $1,175
  • Mexico City $3,323

Living in Bien Hoa costs roughly 57% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bien Hoa is 50% below, Mexico City is 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bien Hoa
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.89 ₫48.8K
$11.02 MX$204
-82.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.80 ₫305.5K
$48.68 MX$900
-75.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.76 ₫123.3K
$10.90 MX$201
-56.33%
Cappuccino
$1.13 ₫29.3K
$3.68 MX$68.1
-69.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ₫11.8K
$1.63 MX$30.18
-71.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 ₫5,960
$1.25 MX$23.07
-81.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.56 ₫14.6K
$3.25 MX$60.1
-82.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79 ₫20.5K
$5.53 MX$102
-85.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bien Hoa
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 ₫32.9K
$1.70 MX$31.50
-25.29%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 ₫20.5K
$3.02 MX$55.8
-73.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.88 ₫22.8K
$1.92 MX$35.53
-54.17%
Eggs
$1.38 ₫35.7K
$2.73 MX$50.5
-49.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.17 ₫315.0K
$11.77 MX$218
3.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$1.95 ₫50.6K
$9.53 MX$176
-79.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.76 ₫252.6K
$14.41 MX$266
-32.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.18 ₫56.5K
$3.02 MX$55.8
-27.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 ₫33.5K
$1.89 MX$35.01
-31.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.14 ₫29.4K
$1.99 MX$36.70
-42.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.93 ₫24.0K
$2.19 MX$40.38
-57.53%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 ₫30.3K
$1.92 MX$35.43
-39.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.19 ₫30.8K
$1.87 MX$34.49
-36.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ₫11.3K
$1.44 MX$26.62
-70.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 ₫12.8K
$1.27 MX$23.39
-60.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.26 ₫32.7K
$5.22 MX$96.4
-75.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.49 ₫194.0K
$16.17 MX$299
-53.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 ₫10.3K
$1.90 MX$35.03
-78.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 ₫19.6K
$4.22 MX$78.0
-81.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Bien Hoa
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 ₫8,132
$0.34 MX$6.30
-8.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.54 ₫169.4K
$19.65 MX$363
-66.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 ₫12.4K
$2.00 MX$36.90
-76.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.56 ₫14.4K
$0.52 MX$9.67
7.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ₫30.5K
$5.34 MX$98.7
-77.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 ₫21.9K
$1.52 MX$28.13
-44.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1K ₫805.7M
$22.1K MX$408.0K
40.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.5K ₫763.1M
$24.5K MX$452.9K
20.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bien Hoa
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$50.6 ₫1.3M
$61.1 MX$1,129
-17.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.35 ₫112.5K
$28.58 MX$528
-84.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.53 ₫169.0K
$34.47 MX$637
-81.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bien Hoa
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$10.82 ₫280.2K
$56.4 MX$1,042
-80.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.91 ₫204.7K
$24.88 MX$460
-68.21%
Cinema Ticket
$3.35 ₫86.8K
$6.66 MX$123
-49.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bien Hoa
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$67.8 ₫1.8M
$427 MX$7,891
-84.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.5K ₫375.6M
$11.6K MX$215.0K
24.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bien Hoa
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.21 ₫393.7K
$67.8 MX$1,253
-77.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.37 ₫397.8K
$52.0 MX$960
-70.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.6 ₫1.7M
$106 MX$1,959
-37.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.1 ₫2.5M
$113 MX$2,080
-14.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bien Hoa
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$415 ₫10.7M
$1,025 MX$18.9K
-59.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$281 ₫7.3M
$654 MX$12.1K
-57.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$421 ₫10.9M
$2,308 MX$42.7K
-81.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$306 ₫7.9M
$1,242 MX$22.9K
-75.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,228 ₫57.7M
$3,613 MX$66.8K
-38.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,235 ₫32.0M
$1,936 MX$35.8K
-36.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bien Hoa
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$303 ₫7.9M
$964 MX$17.8K
-68.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.8
11.3
-30.97%

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

Last update for Bien Hoa: October 18, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bien Hoa
$281
Mexico City
$654 133% $374
Groceries & Markets
Bien Hoa
$165
Mexico City
$318 92.6% $153
Clothing & Footwear
Bien Hoa
$87
Mexico City
$152 75% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bien Hoa
$61
Mexico City
$124 102% $63
Eating Out
Bien Hoa
$50
Mexico City
$204 307% $154
Sport & Entertainment
Bien Hoa
$18
Mexico City
$70 298% $52
Getting Around
Bien Hoa
$11
Mexico City
$26 132% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $415 in Bien Hoa and $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 218% 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: $12.00 in Bien Hoa vs $49.00 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $318 per month, with Bien Hoa cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇻🇳 Bien Hoa
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
20:23 8:23 PM
07:23 7:23 AM
13 h behind Bien Hoa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,272,235
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bien Hoa Mexico City 15,600 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bien Hoa
  • Mexico City

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
Bien Hoa vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Bien Hoa?
Bien Hoa is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Bien Hoa or Mexico City?
On paper, salaries run 218% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Bien Hoa and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $415 in Bien Hoa versus $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Bien Hoa and in Mexico City?
Supermarket bills run roughly 93% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Bien Hoa or in Mexico City?
Dining out is cheaper in Bien Hoa – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $49.00 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Bien Hoa or in Mexico City?
At $673 in Bien Hoa versus $1,548 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bien Hoa but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bien Hoa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Bien Hoa or Mexico City more family-friendly?
For families, Bien Hoa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Bien Hoa or Mexico City?
Safety-wise, Bien Hoa and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Bien Hoa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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