Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Hanoi and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $758 in Hanoi versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,241 in Hanoi versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,724 in Hanoi versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hanoi costs roughly 40% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hanoi 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 ₫50.1K

$11.99 MX$209

-84.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 ₫716.1K

$41.78 MX$728

-34.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ₫121.4K

$10.75 MX$187

-57.02%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ₫47.2K

$3.50 MX$60.9

-48.86%

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

$0.49 ₫12.8K

$1.45 MX$25.22

-66.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,104

$0.88 MX$15.41

-69.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$2.95 MX$51.3

-68.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₫51.0K

$4.51 MX$78.6

-56.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ₫37.4K

$1.43 MX$24.94

-0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.9K

$1.84 MX$31.99

-46.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$1.57 MX$27.31

-42.04%

Eggs

$1.49 ₫39.1K

$2.51 MX$43.74

-40.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 ₫235.1K

$8.28 MX$144

7.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ₫99.4K

$8.43 MX$147

-55.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ₫249.4K

$10.68 MX$186

-11.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ₫85.7K

$2.61 MX$45.43

24.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.9K

$1.44 MX$25.04

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$1.96 MX$34.16

-18.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ₫28.5K

$2.09 MX$36.47

-48.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.2K

$1.85 MX$32.24

-42.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.7K

$2.17 MX$37.74

-51.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₫14.5K

$1.03 MX$17.96

-46.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₫14.9K

$1.07 MX$18.70

-46.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 ₫36.2K

$4.10 MX$71.4

-66.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 ₫355.9K

$10.17 MX$177

33.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$1.68 MX$29.17

-46.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₫46.2K

$2.53 MX$43.98

-30.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₫8,776

$0.51 MX$8.87

-35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.56 ₫198.8K

$26.04 MX$453

-70.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₫21.2K

$3.23 MX$56.3

-74.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫16.0K

$2.41 MX$41.88

-74.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$3.23 MX$56.2

-50.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫22.1K

$1.32 MX$23.00

-36.36%

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

$38.6K ₫1.0B

$29.7K MX$517.1K

29.84%

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

$32.3K ₫847.9M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

36.30%

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

$78.8 ₫2.1M

$82.0 MX$1,428

-3.88%

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

$5.14 ₫135.1K

$22.95 MX$400

-77.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.79 ₫231.1K

$30.11 MX$524

-70.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.49 ₫749.0K

$52.0 MX$905

-45.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ₫289.7K

$18.53 MX$323

-40.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.74 ₫98.5K

$4.98 MX$86.6

-24.90%

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

$269 ₫7.1M

$197 MX$3,438

36.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ₫300.7M

$5,336 MX$92.9K

114.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 ₫1.2M

$35.60 MX$620

26.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.24 ₫611.1K

$40.33 MX$702

-42.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₫2.3M

$78.8 MX$1,371

11.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ₫1.9M

$88.9 MX$1,549

-17.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$329 ₫8.6M

$947 MX$16.5K

-65.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₫6.5M

$474 MX$8,254

-47.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 ₫20.3M

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-53.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 ₫16.0M

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-49.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,891 ₫128.6M

$4,056 MX$70.6K

20.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,709 ₫71.2M

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-58.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$516 ₫13.6M

$654 MX$11.4K

-21.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

11.42

-20.32%

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

Last update for Hanoi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $329 in Hanoi and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 27% 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: $27.00 in Hanoi vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $249 per month, with Hanoi 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

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

Hanoi and Playa del Carmen differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($758 vs $1,256 including rent). Hanoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $329 in Hanoi versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hanoi runs roughly 244% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $269 in Hanoi versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $758 in Hanoi versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hanoi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Hanoi 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.

Safety-wise, Hanoi and Playa del Carmen 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 Hanoi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.