Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dong Hoi

For one person, living is cheaper in Dong Hoi: $755 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Dong Hoi
Learn more

Dong Hoi Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Dong Hoi

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$755

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Dong Hoi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Dong Hoi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $755 in Dong Hoi.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Dong Hoi $755

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,222 in Dong Hoi.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Dong Hoi $1,222

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,959 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,689 in Dong Hoi.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Dong Hoi $1,689

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 60% more expensive than in Dong Hoi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Dong Hoi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$205

$1.95 ₫50.5K

460.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$813

$19.05 ₫492.6K

127.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$221

$3.60 ₫93.0K

227.22%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.4

$1.07 ₫27.6K

256.07%

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

$1.28 MX$24.04

$0.34 ₫8,861

276.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.68

$0.31 ₫8,112

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.4

$0.56 ₫14.6K

466.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.5

$2.28 ₫59.0K

116.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.37

$1.54 ₫39.8K

-8.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.57

$0.85 ₫21.9K

161.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.57

$1.04 ₫26.9K

36.54%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.30

$1.55 ₫40.2K

62.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$136

$13.00 ₫336.0K

-44.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$144

$3.29 ₫85.0K

134.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$238

$9.10 ₫235.2K

39.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.2

$2.69 ₫69.6K

3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.65

$1.19 ₫30.8K

15.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.83

$1.32 ₫34.2K

93.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.81

$1.59 ₫41.0K

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.34

$1.18 ₫30.4K

64.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.36

$1.32 ₫34.1K

43.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.50

$1.01 ₫26.0K

13.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.11

$0.50 ₫12.8K

136.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.5

$1.55 ₫40.2K

177.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$187

$7.71 ₫199.2K

29.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.69

$0.87 ₫22.4K

81.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.1

$2.18 ₫56.3K

22.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.37

$0.34 ₫8,791

61.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$499

$6.74 ₫174.2K

294.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.2

$1.09 ₫28.1K

355.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.5

$0.60 ₫15.6K

455.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$100

$2.48 ₫64.0K

116.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.07

$0.93 ₫24.0K

54.84%

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

$20.7K MX$387.5K

$31.0K ₫801.6M

-33.35%

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

$23.5K MX$440.0K

$27.5K ₫711.9M

-14.79%

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

$84.8 MX$1,590

$66.8 ₫1.7M

26.89%

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

$23.41 MX$439

$6.38 ₫164.9K

266.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$537

$8.17 ₫211.3K

250.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,070

$22.75 ₫588.3K

150.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$542

$7.57 ₫195.8K

281.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.4

$3.43 ₫88.6K

49.85%

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

$207 MX$3,873

$160 ₫4.1M

28.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.6K

$14.7K ₫380.1M

-73.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$813

$45.77 ₫1.2M

-5.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$777

$27.88 ₫720.7K

48.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,391

$103 ₫2.7M

-27.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,673

$82.1 ₫2.1M

8.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.4K

$408 ₫10.5M

140.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,140

$275 ₫7.1M

38.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$32.0K

$798 ₫20.6M

113.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.2K

$615 ₫15.9M

74.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.9K

$2,265 ₫58.6M

74.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.5K

$1,220 ₫31.5M

404.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.8K

$398 ₫10.3M

84.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

63.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Dong Hoi: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Dong Hoi

$275 36.4% 27.9% $106

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Dong Hoi

$191 25.3% 25% $64

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Dong Hoi

$49 6.5% 75.7% $153

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Dong Hoi

$81 10.8% 40.5% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Dong Hoi

$116 15.4% 4.1% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Dong Hoi

$30 3.9% 56% $38

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Dong Hoi

$12 1.6% 75.8% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $980 in Playa del Carmen and $408 in Dong Hoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 84% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $19 in Dong Hoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $191 per month, with Dong Hoi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇻🇳 Dong Hoi

🕒 Local time

16:35 4:35 PM

04:35 4:35 AM

12 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

91,601

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.79 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.87 USD

100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.75 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.9 MXN (100 MXN = 4.79 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 25,852 VND (100,000 VND = 3.87 USD). 1 EUR = 28,811 VND (100,000 VND = 3.47 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Dong Hoi 15,520 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Dong Hoi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dong Hoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $755 in Dong Hoi, so Dong Hoi is about 37% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 84% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $408 in Dong Hoi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $755 in Dong Hoi – Dong Hoi is about 37% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Dong Hoi runs roughly 75% less than in Playa del Carmen. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $755 in Dong Hoi versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Dong Hoi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. 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.

Expats usually find Dong Hoi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.