Cost of Living Comparison Between Can Tho and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Can Tho and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $663 per month in Can Tho vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,182 per month in Can Tho vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,700 per month in Can Tho vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Can Tho is about 48% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Can Tho and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Can Tho 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.13 ₫29.8K

$11.94 MX$208

-90.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.88 ₫600.8K

$42.75 MX$744

-46.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.53 ₫92.8K

$10.59 MX$184

-66.67%

Cappuccino

$0.98 ₫25.7K

$3.62 MX$63.0

-72.93%

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

$0.49 ₫12.9K

$1.47 MX$25.54

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₫7,997

$0.94 MX$16.41

-68.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₫26.3K

$3.09 MX$53.8

-67.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₫29.7K

$4.46 MX$77.6

-74.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ₫35.5K

$1.43 MX$24.80

-5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫25.9K

$1.88 MX$32.79

-47.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ₫19.3K

$1.63 MX$28.34

-54.60%

Eggs

$1.36 ₫35.6K

$2.64 MX$45.99

-48.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 ₫306.4K

$8.21 MX$143

42.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ₫98.3K

$8.29 MX$144

-54.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.60 ₫278.4K

$11.10 MX$193

-4.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ₫70.3K

$2.65 MX$46.14

1.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ₫30.0K

$1.50 MX$26.11

-24.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₫35.7K

$1.99 MX$34.59

-31.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 ₫21.2K

$2.08 MX$36.13

-61.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ₫19.3K

$1.79 MX$31.11

-59.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$2.18 MX$37.87

-57.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ₫18.7K

$1.08 MX$18.73

-34.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.5K

$1.04 MX$18.04

-50.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ₫33.5K

$3.97 MX$69.1

-68.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₫199.9K

$10.20 MX$178

-25.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₫22.5K

$1.73 MX$30.04

-50.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.8K

$2.50 MX$43.46

-40.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ₫9,083

$0.52 MX$9.02

-32.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.55 ₫172.0K

$26.97 MX$469

-75.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 ₫12.7K

$3.14 MX$54.7

-84.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₫15.1K

$2.40 MX$41.80

-76.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ₫82.7K

$3.09 MX$53.7

1.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.4K

$1.27 MX$22.16

-29.92%

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

$37.9K ₫995.3M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

22.73%

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

$34.6K ₫907.4M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

48.19%

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

$49.22 ₫1.3M

$82.0 MX$1,427

-39.98%

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

$3.89 ₫102.0K

$22.45 MX$391

-82.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.10 ₫239.0K

$29.66 MX$516

-69.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.50 ₫564.6K

$51.9 MX$903

-58.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 ₫206.3K

$18.67 MX$325

-57.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 ₫87.0K

$4.97 MX$86.5

-33.40%

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

$190 ₫5.0M

$198 MX$3,442

-4.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,904 ₫181.3M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

30.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.84 ₫494.8K

$36.34 MX$632

-48.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.48 ₫511.7K

$40.05 MX$697

-51.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 ₫2.6M

$79.9 MX$1,390

22.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 ₫2.3M

$88.9 MX$1,547

-1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₫9.4M

$963 MX$16.8K

-62.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 ₫6.4M

$465 MX$8,086

-47.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₫18.3M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-56.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 ₫17.7M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-44.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,129 ₫82.2M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-20.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 ₫32.5M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-80.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$159 ₫4.2M

$720 MX$12.5K

-77.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

11.42

-19.96%

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

Last update for Can Tho: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $357 in Can Tho 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.

Salaries run about 354% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Can Tho versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $251 – making Can Tho 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

Can Tho vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 94%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $995 per month in Can Tho 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 Can Tho, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Can Tho and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Can Tho, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Can Tho it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Can Tho – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Can Tho. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.