Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hoi An and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Hoi An: $876 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. The total is higher in Playa del Carmen despite lower rent and utilities.

43

Cost of Living Index in Hoi An
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Hoi An Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Hoi An

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$876

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hoi An and in Playa del Carmen

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

A single person spends $876 per month in Hoi An vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hoi An $876
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,279 per month in Hoi An vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hoi An $1,279
Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $1,682 per month in Hoi An vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hoi An $1,682
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Hoi An is about 27% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Hoi An and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Hoi An 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 ₫59.1K

$10.86 MX$201

-79.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.56 ₫480.5K

$44.21 MX$817

-58.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.77 ₫97.7K

$11.76 MX$217

-67.94%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ₫44.9K

$3.68 MX$68.0

-52.72%

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

$0.62 ₫16.0K

$1.34 MX$24.79

-53.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,896

$0.82 MX$15.24

-58.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₫35.2K

$3.06 MX$56.6

-55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₫34.0K

$4.94 MX$91.2

-73.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ₫40.8K

$1.47 MX$27.17

7.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₫31.2K

$2.22 MX$40.95

-45.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₫25.9K

$1.48 MX$27.32

-32.43%

Eggs

$1.49 ₫38.5K

$2.49 MX$45.99

-40.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.96 ₫335.6K

$7.52 MX$139

72.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.09 ₫105.8K

$7.96 MX$147

-48.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.27 ₫239.9K

$12.57 MX$232

-26.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ₫68.2K

$2.78 MX$51.3

-5.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫28.6K

$1.43 MX$26.37

-22.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.0K

$2.62 MX$48.37

-61.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ₫37.4K

$2.14 MX$39.49

-32.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ₫30.6K

$2.02 MX$37.38

-41.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.1K

$1.99 MX$36.74

-45.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ₫16.1K

$1.14 MX$21.01

-45.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₫12.8K

$1.20 MX$22.18

-59.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.50 ₫38.7K

$4.26 MX$78.7

-64.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.57 ₫196.1K

$10.02 MX$185

-24.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₫23.9K

$1.54 MX$28.41

-40.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₫39.4K

$2.66 MX$49.17

-42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₫5,666

$0.53 MX$9.73

-58.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.82 ₫98.8K

$27.51 MX$508

-86.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 ₫25.6K

$4.90 MX$90.6

-79.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₫14.7K

$3.43 MX$63.5

-83.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 ₫102.6K

$5.38 MX$99.4

-26.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₫24.3K

$1.45 MX$26.76

-35.17%

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

$30.9K ₫800.8M

$21.2K MX$391.0K

46.19%

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

$28.4K ₫736.2M

$23.0K MX$425.3K

23.54%

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

$77.8 ₫2.0M

$85.4 MX$1,577

-8.90%

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

$6.45 ₫167.1K

$23.46 MX$434

-72.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.03 ₫207.9K

$28.43 MX$525

-71.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.74 ₫433.5K

$62.2 MX$1,149

-73.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.74 ₫122.8K

$28.68 MX$530

-83.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.06 ₫79.1K

$5.10 MX$94.3

-40.00%

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

$116 ₫3.0M

$201 MX$3,715

-42.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₫441.8M

$3,947 MX$72.9K

332.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.44 ₫1.2M

$44.39 MX$820

4.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.51 ₫712.2K

$41.35 MX$764

-33.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ₫1.8M

$72.7 MX$1,344

-5.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 ₫2.1M

$89.6 MX$1,656

-9.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 ₫11.2M

$979 MX$18.1K

-55.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 ₫10.2M

$373 MX$6,887

6.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₫13.8M

$1,681 MX$31.1K

-68.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 ₫16.2M

$1,095 MX$20.2K

-42.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,561 ₫40.4M

$3,949 MX$73.0K

-60.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$982 ₫25.4M

$6,137 MX$113.4K

-84.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 ₫7.6M

$738 MX$13.6K

-60.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.34

11.45

-9.69%

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

Last update for Hoi An: October 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hoi An

$395 45.1%

Playa del Carmen

$373 31% 5.7% $23

Groceries & Markets

Hoi An

$193 22%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5% 34% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Hoi An

$101 11.5%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 10.9% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hoi An

$92 10.5%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 48.8% $45

Eating Out

Hoi An

$64 7.3%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6% 214% $137

Sport & Entertainment

Hoi An

$23 2.6%

Playa del Carmen

$72 6% 217% $50

Getting Around

Hoi An

$8.5 1%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3% 507% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Hoi An versus $979 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 151% 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 $19.00 in Hoi An versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $258 – making Hoi An the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Hoi An

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

17:52 5:52 PM

05:52 5:52 AM

12 h behind Hoi An

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

120,000

149,923

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

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).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Hoi An Playa del Carmen 15,620 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Hoi An
Playa del Carmen

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $876 in Hoi An, $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,314 per month in Hoi An and $1,806 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 Hoi An, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $116 per month in Hoi An and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hoi An, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Hoi An it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $876 in Hoi An to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Hoi An. 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.