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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $668 in Bien Hoa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $917 in Bien Hoa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,166 in Bien Hoa.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 148% more expensive than in Bien Hoa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Bien Hoa is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$1.90 ₫49.3K

527.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$11.38 ₫295.9K

353.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.70 ₫122.3K

142.77%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.13 ₫29.3K

253.10%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.42 ₫10.9K

295.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.23 ₫5,994

478.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$0.56 ₫14.5K

519.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$0.79 ₫20.6K

646.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.29 ₫33.5K

45.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.75 ₫19.6K

333.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.88 ₫23.0K

145.45%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.35 ₫35.2K

114.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$12.01 ₫312.2K

7.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$1.87 ₫48.6K

437.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$9.56 ₫248.6K

65.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.07 ₫53.8K

58.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.30 ₫33.7K

54.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.18 ₫30.7K

86.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.99 ₫25.7K

138.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.18 ₫30.6K

73.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.17 ₫30.5K

62.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.44 ₫11.4K

265.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.46 ₫11.9K

204.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$1.21 ₫31.5K

351.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$7.89 ₫205.0K

123.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.42 ₫10.9K

390.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$0.73 ₫19.0K

541.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.32 ₫8,212

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$6.65 ₫172.8K

212.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.49 ₫12.7K

328.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.56 ₫14.4K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.12 ₫29.1K

418.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.93 ₫24.1K

73.12%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$30.2K ₫785.8M

-24.44%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$30.6K ₫795.2M

-12.55%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$50.8 ₫1.3M

28.26%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$4.14 ₫107.7K

626.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$6.50 ₫168.9K

472.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$10.87 ₫282.6K

449.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$7.76 ₫201.7K

242.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$3.29 ₫85.6K

113.98%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$66.7 ₫1.7M

596.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$14.5K ₫377.3M

-8.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$15.07 ₫391.7K

403.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$15.35 ₫399.0K

264.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$68.5 ₫1.8M

63.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$94.6 ₫2.5M

27.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$418 ₫10.9M

163.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$277 ₫7.2M

160.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$427 ₫11.1M

492.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$312 ₫8.1M

314.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,892 ₫75.2M

38.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,286 ₫33.4M

62.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$308 ₫8.0M

236.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.8

44.87%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bien Hoa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $418 in Bien Hoa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 237% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Bien Hoa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $164 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 148% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 237% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $418 in Bien Hoa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 111% 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 $11.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $668 in Bien Hoa versus $1,660 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 148% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.