Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Dong Hoi Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Dong Hoi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $737 in Dong Hoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,195 in Dong Hoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,653 in Dong Hoi.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Dong Hoi is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$1.97 ₫51.1K

516.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$916

$19.23 ₫498.3K

180.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$3.63 ₫94.0K

205.51%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.6

$1.02 ₫26.5K

301.96%

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

$1.68 MX$28.57

$0.31 ₫8,152

441.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.58

$0.34 ₫8,914

308.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.6

$0.54 ₫13.9K

516.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.9

$2.27 ₫58.9K

159.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.45

$1.46 ₫37.8K

26.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.9

$0.91 ₫23.7K

248.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.18

$1.09 ₫28.3K

89.91%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.74

$1.53 ₫39.7K

91.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$13.07 ₫338.7K

-3.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$3.29 ₫85.2K

207.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$9.09 ₫235.5K

77.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.6

$2.58 ₫66.8K

31.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.31

$1.07 ₫27.9K

94.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.02

$1.27 ₫33.0K

66.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$41.01

$1.44 ₫37.4K

67.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.17

$1.10 ₫28.4K

93.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.07

$1.21 ₫31.5K

66.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.04 ₫26.9K

49.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.19

$0.49 ₫12.8K

177.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$98.0

$1.53 ₫39.6K

277.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$7.89 ₫204.4K

124.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.16

$0.81 ₫21.0K

155.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.4

$2.14 ₫55.5K

115.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.33 ₫8,655

12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$360

$5.99 ₫155.1K

253.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.89

$1.04 ₫27.0K

97.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.80

$0.61 ₫15.7K

-4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$2.37 ₫61.6K

156.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$0.83 ₫21.5K

86.75%

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

$22.9K MX$388.6K

$30.1K ₫779.1M

-23.89%

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

$27.2K MX$462.7K

$27.7K ₫717.0M

-1.55%

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

$67.4 MX$1,145

$67.3 ₫1.7M

0.15%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$6.25 ₫162.1K

389.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$633

$8.27 ₫214.2K

350.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,044

$21.00 ₫544.3K

192.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$461

$6.80 ₫176.2K

298.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$3.15 ₫81.5K

125.71%

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

$456 MX$7,750

$161 ₫4.2M

182.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.6K

$15.0K ₫388.7M

-8.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,260

$44.60 ₫1.2M

66.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$969

$28.05 ₫727.0K

103.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,961

$103 ₫2.7M

12.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,064

$81.9 ₫2.1M

48.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$412 ₫10.7M

178.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.1K

$289 ₫7.5M

145.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.8K

$689 ₫17.9M

273.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$574 ₫14.9M

125.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$68.0K

$3,195 ₫82.8M

25.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.2K

$1,286 ₫33.3M

65.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$406 ₫10.5M

166.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

61.43%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dong Hoi: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $412 in Dong Hoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 167% 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 $19.00 in Dong Hoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $189 per month, with Dong Hoi 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 Dong Hoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Dong Hoi differ by about 128% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $737 including rent). Dong Hoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 167% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $412 in Dong Hoi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $737 in Dong Hoi – a 128% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dong Hoi runs roughly 254% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $737 in Dong Hoi versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dong Hoi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Dong Hoi 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, Mexico City and Dong Hoi 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 Dong Hoi 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.