Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hue and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Hue: $491 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

24

Cost of Living Index in Hue
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Hue Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Hue

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$491

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hue 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 Hue and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $491 per month in Hue vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hue $491
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $857 per month in Hue vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hue $857
Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $1,224 per month in Hue vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hue $1,224
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Hue is about 59% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Hue and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Hue 64% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.14 ₫29.6K

$10.86 MX$201

-89.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.41 ₫295.3K

$44.21 MX$817

-74.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.45 ₫89.4K

$11.76 MX$217

-70.66%

Cappuccino

$1.07 ₫27.7K

$3.68 MX$68.0

-70.92%

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

$0.59 ₫15.3K

$1.34 MX$24.79

-55.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₫8,259

$0.82 MX$15.24

-60.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 ₫20.2K

$3.06 MX$56.6

-74.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₫30.5K

$4.94 MX$91.2

-76.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ₫34.7K

$1.47 MX$27.17

-8.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₫20.7K

$2.22 MX$40.95

-63.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₫21.3K

$1.48 MX$27.32

-44.59%

Eggs

$1.48 ₫38.4K

$2.49 MX$45.99

-40.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 ₫332.8K

$7.52 MX$139

71.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 ₫108.3K

$7.96 MX$147

-47.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₫247.9K

$12.57 MX$232

-23.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 ₫63.7K

$2.78 MX$51.3

-11.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.4K

$1.43 MX$26.37

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ₫32.8K

$2.62 MX$48.37

-51.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 ₫17.9K

$2.14 MX$39.49

-67.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 ₫25.5K

$2.02 MX$37.38

-50.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ₫30.1K

$1.99 MX$36.74

-41.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ₫15.5K

$1.14 MX$21.01

-47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₫10.5K

$1.20 MX$22.18

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.30 ₫33.7K

$4.26 MX$78.7

-69.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 ₫200.3K

$10.02 MX$185

-22.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₫19.2K

$1.54 MX$28.41

-51.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₫34.4K

$2.66 MX$49.17

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₫8,566

$0.53 MX$9.73

-37.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.26 ₫188.1K

$27.51 MX$508

-73.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 ₫11.6K

$4.90 MX$90.6

-90.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$3.43 MX$63.5

-83.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ₫64.0K

$5.38 MX$99.4

-54.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫23.7K

$1.45 MX$26.76

-37.24%

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

$31.1K ₫804.2M

$21.2K MX$391.0K

46.82%

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

$27.6K ₫713.4M

$23.0K MX$425.3K

19.71%

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

$38.32 ₫992.1K

$85.4 MX$1,577

-55.11%

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

$6.39 ₫165.5K

$23.46 MX$434

-72.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.77 ₫201.3K

$28.43 MX$525

-72.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.39 ₫1.0M

$62.2 MX$1,149

-36.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.75 ₫200.6K

$28.68 MX$530

-72.98%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 ₫88.7K

$5.10 MX$94.3

-32.75%

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

$164 ₫4.2M

$201 MX$3,715

-18.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,008 ₫233.2M

$3,947 MX$72.9K

128.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.36 ₫811.9K

$44.39 MX$820

-29.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.66 ₫483.1K

$41.35 MX$764

-54.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.33 ₫1.0M

$72.7 MX$1,344

-45.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.55 ₫998.1K

$89.6 MX$1,656

-56.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 ₫3.5M

$979 MX$18.1K

-86.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 ₫2.6M

$373 MX$6,887

-73.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 ₫13.4M

$1,681 MX$31.1K

-69.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₫9.1M

$1,095 MX$20.2K

-67.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,511 ₫39.1M

$3,949 MX$73.0K

-61.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,147 ₫29.7M

$6,137 MX$113.4K

-81.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$291 ₫7.5M

$738 MX$13.6K

-60.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

11.45

-40.00%

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

Last update for Hue: October 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Hue

$180 36.7%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5% 43.2% $78

Accommodation & Living

Hue

$101 20.5%

Playa del Carmen

$373 31% 270% $272

Clothing & Footwear

Hue

$58 11.7%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 94% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hue

$52 10.7%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 162% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Hue

$46 9.4%

Playa del Carmen

$72 6% 56.6% $26

Eating Out

Hue

$42 8.6%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6% 374% $158

Getting Around

Hue

$12 2.4%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3% 338% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $133 in Hue 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 153% 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 $11.00 in Hue versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $258 – making Hue the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Hue

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

18:39 6:39 PM

06:39 6:39 AM

12 h behind Hue

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,166,500

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

Hue Playa del Carmen 15,590 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Hue
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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 145%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $737 per month in Hue 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 Hue, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 279% less in Hue. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $164 per month in Hue and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hue, where all-in costs run around $491, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Hue it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hue – 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 Hue. 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.