Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Vung Tau Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Vung Tau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $576 in Vung Tau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $937 in Vung Tau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,298 in Vung Tau.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 157% more expensive than Vung Tau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Vung Tau is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.05 ₫53.7K

533.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$14.78 ₫387.8K

259.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$4.48 ₫117.4K

116.96%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.78 ₫46.6K

110.67%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.48 ₫12.6K

227.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.30 ₫7,891

276.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$0.62 ₫16.2K

412.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$1.46 ₫38.3K

219.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.52 ₫40.0K

6.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.03 ₫27.0K

163.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.67 ₫17.5K

180.60%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.41 ₫37.0K

78.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$7.00 ₫183.6K

44.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.60 ₫94.4K

130.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$3.88 ₫101.7K

207.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.33 ₫61.2K

22.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.05 ₫27.6K

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.00 ₫26.3K

108.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.02 ₫26.7K

93.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.03 ₫27.1K

109.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.04 ₫27.4K

109.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.56 ₫14.6K

148.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.51 ₫13.3K

119.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$1.28 ₫33.5K

228.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$12.50 ₫327.8K

14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$0.82 ₫21.5K

114.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.14 ₫29.9K

222.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.32 ₫8,338

21.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$6.43 ₫168.8K

190.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.70 ₫18.4K

98.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.58 ₫15.2K

-48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$3.05 ₫80.1K

77.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.88 ₫23.0K

53.41%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$38.0K ₫997.9M

-50.35%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$34.3K ₫900.9M

-32.58%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$37.40 ₫981.2K

9.14%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$4.53 ₫118.8K

507.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$7.34 ₫192.5K

313.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$15.18 ₫398.3K

251.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$7.74 ₫203.1K

239.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$3.18 ₫83.5K

97.17%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$274 ₫7.2M

59.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$14.1K ₫368.7M

-25.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$19.26 ₫505.4K

194.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$20.90 ₫548.4K

114.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$96.1 ₫2.5M

6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$87.4 ₫2.3M

23.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$269 ₫7.0M

272.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$186 ₫4.9M

233.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$677 ₫17.8M

215.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$423 ₫11.1M

192.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$7,289 ₫191.2M

-46.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$4,313 ₫113.1M

-45.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$561 ₫14.7M

90.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.14

24.07%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Vung Tau: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $269 in Vung Tau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 90% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $15.00 in Vung Tau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $156 per month, with Vung Tau 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 Vung Tau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Vung Tau differ by about 157% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $576 including rent). Vung Tau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 90% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $269 in Vung Tau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Vung Tau runs roughly 190% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $274 in Vung Tau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $576 in Vung Tau versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Vung Tau but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Vung Tau 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 Vung Tau 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 Vung Tau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.