Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dong Hoi Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dong Hoi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $698 in Dong Hoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,043 in Dong Hoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,387 in Dong Hoi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 86% more expensive than Dong Hoi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Dong Hoi 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.14 ₫30.0K

928.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$11.67 ₫306.9K

256.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.74 ₫124.5K

124.47%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.42 ₫37.2K

147.89%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.54 ₫14.2K

179.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.31 ₫8,264

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$0.76 ₫20.1K

288.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.18 ₫31.1K

277.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.38 ₫36.4K

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.92 ₫24.2K

105.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.17 ₫30.8K

40.17%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.45 ₫38.2K

73.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$12.32 ₫323.8K

-32.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.36 ₫88.3K

148.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.62 ₫253.0K

11.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.75 ₫72.3K

-5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.92 ₫24.1K

58.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.13 ₫29.6K

68.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.09 ₫28.7K

90.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.10 ₫28.9K

61.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.20 ₫31.7K

82.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.00 ₫26.4K

4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.52 ₫13.6K

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.37 ₫36.1K

197.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.51 ₫197.4K

37.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.80 ₫21.1K

113.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.65 ₫43.4K

56.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.31 ₫8,250

64.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$6.38 ₫167.7K

314.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.88 ₫23.3K

270.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.69 ₫18.2K

260.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$2.83 ₫74.3K

14.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.85 ₫22.4K

54.12%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$26.7K ₫702.4M

13.33%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$28.8K ₫757.1M

-18.64%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$65.6 ₫1.7M

26.25%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$5.79 ₫152.1K

283.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$8.46 ₫222.3K

246.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$20.97 ₫551.3K

146.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$7.44 ₫195.6K

146.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.04 ₫79.9K

66.78%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$154 ₫4.0M

30.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$12.8K ₫337.7M

-59.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$39.70 ₫1.0M

-7.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$25.65 ₫674.2K

55.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$52.5 ₫1.4M

49.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$77.3 ₫2.0M

12.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$353 ₫9.3M

175.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$249 ₫6.5M

87.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$678 ₫17.8M

142.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$474 ₫12.5M

157.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,224 ₫111.1M

-6.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,652 ₫43.4M

293.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$394 ₫10.4M

68.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

63.14%

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 Dong Hoi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $353 in Dong Hoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 68% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Dong Hoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $184 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

Playa del Carmen vs Dong Hoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Dong Hoi differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $698 including rent). Dong Hoi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 68% 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $353 in Dong Hoi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $698 in Dong Hoi – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dong Hoi runs roughly 315% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $698 in Dong Hoi versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen 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 86% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.