Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Nam Dinh Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Nam Dinh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $728 in Nam Dinh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,163 in Nam Dinh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,597 in Nam Dinh.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 102% more expensive than Nam Dinh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Nam Dinh is 46% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Nam Dinh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.18 MX$228
$1.98 ₫51.9K
565.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9 MX$932
$26.94 ₫707.7K
100.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.42 MX$163
$4.66 ₫122.5K
102.15%
Cappuccino
$3.55 MX$61.4
$1.88 ₫49.5K
88.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.98
$0.48 ₫12.7K
237.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 MX$19.27
$0.27 ₫7,162
311.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.12 MX$54.0
$0.93 ₫24.5K
235.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63 MX$80.1
$1.91 ₫50.1K
142.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Nam Dinh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$29.43
$1.43 ₫37.6K
18.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 MX$47.02
$0.91 ₫24.0K
198.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 MX$33.07
$0.91 ₫24.0K
109.89%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$43.86
$1.55 ₫40.7K
63.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.03 MX$174
$8.91 ₫234.1K
12.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.09 MX$140
$3.72 ₫97.8K
117.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.62 MX$201
$9.75 ₫256.2K
19.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.97 MX$51.3
$3.34 ₫87.7K
-11.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 MX$31.24
$1.07 ₫28.0K
69.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.01 MX$34.82
$1.63 ₫42.8K
23.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$35.20
$1.12 ₫29.4K
81.25%
Potato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.75
$1.03 ₫27.1K
105.83%
Onion (1kg)
$2.27 MX$39.25
$1.02 ₫26.7K
122.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 MX$24.22
$0.55 ₫14.6K
154.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 MX$19.55
$0.56 ₫14.8K
101.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$73.9
$1.38 ₫36.2K
209.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.56 MX$269
$13.35 ₫350.6K
16.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 MX$30.39
$0.96 ₫25.2K
83.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60 MX$62.2
$1.77 ₫46.5K
103.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Nam Dinh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 MX$6.62
$0.34 ₫9,052
11.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.18 MX$332
$6.64 ₫174.4K
188.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.38 MX$23.79
$0.80 ₫21.0K
72.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 MX$4.78
$0.45 ₫11.7K
-37.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 MX$94.2
$1.67 ₫43.8K
226.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 MX$22.55
$0.90 ₫23.5K
44.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.7K MX$323.2K
$37.8K ₫994.3M
-50.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1K MX$400.1K
$31.4K ₫824.2M
-26.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Nam Dinh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.86 MX$707
$78.1 ₫2.1M
-47.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81 MX$464
$5.17 ₫135.9K
418.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.96 MX$518
$8.62 ₫226.4K
247.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Nam Dinh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$900
$21.58 ₫567.1K
141.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.84 MX$464
$7.64 ₫200.8K
251.31%
Cinema Ticket
$6.30 MX$109
$3.85 ₫101.2K
63.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Nam Dinh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$436 MX$7,544
$270 ₫7.1M
61.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.4K MX$180.2K
$11.5K ₫302.9M
-9.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Nam Dinh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7 MX$980
$44.36 ₫1.2M
27.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.38 MX$768
$23.33 ₫613.0K
90.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 MX$1,780
$88.9 ₫2.3M
15.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 MX$1,825
$71.7 ₫1.9M
47.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Nam Dinh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,022 MX$17.7K
$356 ₫9.3M
187.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$631 MX$10.9K
$248 ₫6.5M
153.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,136 MX$36.9K
$678 ₫17.8M
214.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,243 MX$21.5K
$475 ₫12.5M
161.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,903 MX$67.5K
$3,300 ₫86.7M
18.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$35.7K
$1,496 ₫39.3M
37.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Nam Dinh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,115 MX$19.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
9.1
24.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nam Dinh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $356 in Nam Dinh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Nam Dinh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $192 per month, with Nam Dinh 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 Nam Dinh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Nam Dinh?
Mexico City and Nam Dinh differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $728 including rent). Nam Dinh is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Nam Dinh?
You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,092 in Nam Dinh to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Nam Dinh?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $356 in Nam Dinh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and Nam Dinh?
A monthly transit pass in Nam Dinh runs roughly 189% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Nam Dinh?
Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $270 in Nam Dinh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $728 in Nam Dinh versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nam Dinh but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Nam Dinh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Nam Dinh?
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.
Is Mexico City or Nam Dinh safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Nam Dinh are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Nam Dinh?
Expats usually find Nam Dinh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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