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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $644 in Bien Hoa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $904 in Bien Hoa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,165 in Bien Hoa.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 128% more expensive than Bien Hoa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Bien Hoa is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$1.87 ₫49.1K

604.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$11.57 ₫304.0K

365.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.57 ₫120.0K

106.13%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.13 ₫29.8K

214.16%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.44 ₫11.7K

268.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.23 ₫6,063

382.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$0.51 ₫13.5K

511.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$0.74 ₫19.5K

525.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.23 ₫32.3K

38.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.81 ₫21.2K

235.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.94 ₫24.7K

103.19%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.41 ₫37.0K

80.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$11.64 ₫305.8K

-13.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$1.93 ₫50.8K

319.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$9.46 ₫248.6K

22.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.09 ₫54.9K

42.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.15 ₫30.2K

57.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.13 ₫29.8K

77.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.98 ₫25.8K

107.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.16 ₫30.4K

82.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.23 ₫32.3K

84.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.43 ₫11.4K

225.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.50 ₫13.2K

126.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.29 ₫33.8K

231.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$7.45 ₫195.7K

108.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$0.39 ₫10.4K

351.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$0.75 ₫19.7K

380.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.34 ₫9,048

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$7.08 ₫186.1K

170.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.41 ₫10.8K

236.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.69 ₫18.1K

-59.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$1.13 ₫29.8K

382.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.86 ₫22.6K

51.16%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$37.3K ₫979.9M

-49.89%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$28.3K ₫742.5M

-18.15%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$50.3 ₫1.3M

-18.72%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$4.12 ₫108.3K

550.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$6.84 ₫179.7K

338.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$10.72 ₫281.8K

385.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$7.61 ₫200.0K

252.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.49 ₫91.7K

80.52%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$66.4 ₫1.7M

556.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$13.9K ₫365.0M

-25.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$17.34 ₫455.6K

226.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$15.38 ₫404.0K

188.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$70.9 ₫1.9M

45.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$86.0 ₫2.3M

22.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$358 ₫9.4M

185.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$244 ₫6.4M

158.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$429 ₫11.3M

397.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$312 ₫8.2M

298.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,509 ₫39.7M

158.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$607 ₫16.0M

239.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$348 ₫9.2M

220.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.8

45.38%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bien Hoa: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $358 in Bien Hoa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 220% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Bien Hoa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $162 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

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

Bien Hoa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 128% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 220% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $358 in Bien Hoa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% 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 $644 in Bien Hoa versus $1,467 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, Mexico City and Bien Hoa 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 128% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.