Cost of Living Comparison Between Bien Hoa and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Bien Hoa and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $634 in Bien Hoa versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $909 in Bien Hoa versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,184 in Bien Hoa versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Bien Hoa costs roughly 56% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bien Hoa is 53% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 ₫49.4K

$13.07 MX$229

-85.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.67 ₫306.9K

$53.8 MX$943

-78.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.49 ₫118.1K

$9.68 MX$170

-53.62%

Cappuccino

$1.12 ₫29.5K

$3.74 MX$65.6

-70.05%

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

$0.44 ₫11.6K

$1.62 MX$28.34

-72.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ₫6,062

$1.16 MX$20.37

-80.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.51 ₫13.5K

$3.23 MX$56.6

-84.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₫19.7K

$4.74 MX$83.1

-84.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₫33.3K

$1.65 MX$28.89

-23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ₫19.8K

$2.75 MX$48.30

-72.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₫22.7K

$1.87 MX$32.87

-54.01%

Eggs

$1.40 ₫36.9K

$2.50 MX$43.86

-44.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 ₫307.8K

$10.20 MX$179

14.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.95 ₫51.4K

$8.25 MX$145

-76.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ₫247.8K

$11.82 MX$207

-20.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₫56.3K

$3.01 MX$52.8

-28.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 ₫30.3K

$1.81 MX$31.77

-36.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.6K

$2.00 MX$35.07

-42.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ₫26.1K

$2.00 MX$35.00

-50.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.4K

$2.08 MX$36.56

-44.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ₫32.4K

$2.27 MX$39.85

-45.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 ₫10.7K

$1.46 MX$25.55

-71.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₫13.1K

$1.08 MX$18.88

-53.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.24 ₫32.5K

$4.35 MX$76.3

-71.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₫201.6K

$16.99 MX$298

-54.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₫11.3K

$1.73 MX$30.40

-75.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₫20.8K

$3.58 MX$62.7

-77.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ₫9,102

$0.39 MX$6.79

-10.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 ₫190.7K

$18.69 MX$328

-61.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 ₫11.4K

$1.33 MX$23.25

-67.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₫17.8K

$0.28 MX$4.91

142.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₫29.6K

$5.25 MX$92.1

-78.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₫21.7K

$1.34 MX$23.44

-38.06%

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

$37.6K ₫988.0M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

93.59%

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

$28.0K ₫735.3M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

17.35%

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

$50.3 ₫1.3M

$40.69 MX$714

23.64%

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

$4.29 ₫112.8K

$26.87 MX$471

-84.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.90 ₫181.4K

$30.51 MX$535

-77.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.82 ₫284.5K

$52.8 MX$926

-79.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.76 ₫204.0K

$26.65 MX$467

-70.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 ₫91.9K

$6.51 MX$114

-46.39%

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

$67.3 ₫1.8M

$428 MX$7,508

-84.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₫372.2M

$10.5K MX$184.2K

34.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.01 ₫447.2K

$57.3 MX$1,004

-70.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.55 ₫408.9K

$45.50 MX$798

-65.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 ₫1.8M

$104 MX$1,825

-32.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 ₫2.3M

$108 MX$1,891

-18.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₫9.3M

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-64.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 ₫6.4M

$623 MX$10.9K

-60.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 ₫11.0M

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-80.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 ₫8.0M

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-75.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,549 ₫40.7M

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-60.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$608 ₫16.0M

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-70.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$344 ₫9.1M

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-66.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.8

11.34

-31.22%

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

Last update for Bien Hoa: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Bien Hoa and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 201% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $292 per month, with Bien Hoa 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

Bien Hoa vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bien Hoa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 201% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $353 in Bien Hoa versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bien Hoa – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $634 in Bien Hoa versus $1,456 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.

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.

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.

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.