Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bac Ninh Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bac Ninh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $595 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $995 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,396 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 118% more than Bac Ninh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bac Ninh are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Bac Ninh 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.18 ₫31.0K

894.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$26.58 ₫698.5K

56.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$2.52 ₫66.3K

322.22%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.17 ₫30.7K

200.85%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.28 ₫7,383

439.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.16 ₫4,247

506.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$0.67 ₫17.6K

340.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$0.99 ₫26.1K

349.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.38 ₫36.3K

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.92 ₫24.1K

105.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.91 ₫24.0K

80.22%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.52 ₫39.9K

65.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.24 ₫242.9K

-9.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.80 ₫99.8K

119.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.52 ₫250.2K

12.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.24 ₫85.2K

-19.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.03 ₫27.0K

41.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.59 ₫41.9K

19.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.12 ₫29.5K

85.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.06 ₫28.0K

67.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.04 ₫27.3K

110.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.56 ₫14.8K

85.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.53 ₫14.0K

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.37 ₫36.0K

197.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$13.26 ₫348.4K

-22.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.92 ₫24.1K

85.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.75 ₫45.9K

47.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.32 ₫8,403

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$6.45 ₫169.5K

310.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.75 ₫19.6K

334.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.58 ₫15.2K

329.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$1.66 ₫43.6K

95.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.89 ₫23.4K

47.19%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$39.0K ₫1.0B

-22.28%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$31.2K ₫819.9M

-24.92%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$78.7 ₫2.1M

5.35%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$5.23 ₫137.5K

324.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$6.77 ₫177.9K

333.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$11.67 ₫306.5K

342.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$7.89 ₫207.3K

132.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.03 ₫79.6K

67.33%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$263 ₫6.9M

-23.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,491 ₫170.6M

-19.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$44.98 ₫1.2M

-17.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$22.81 ₫599.2K

74.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$89.6 ₫2.4M

-12.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$73.8 ₫1.9M

18.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$266 ₫7.0M

265.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$154 ₫4.0M

203.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$580 ₫15.2M

183.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$348 ₫9.1M

251.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,609 ₫42.3M

145.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$765 ₫20.1M

749.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$370 ₫9.7M

79.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.1

25.49%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bac Ninh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $266 in Bac Ninh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 79% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Bac Ninh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $191 – making Bac Ninh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Playa del Carmen vs Bac Ninh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 118% more than Bac Ninh, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $893 in Bac Ninh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bac Ninh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $595 in Bac Ninh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 310% less in Bac Ninh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bac Ninh, where all-in costs run around $595, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Bac Ninh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bac Ninh costs $595 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bac Ninh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.