Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hai Phong Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hai Phong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $668 in Hai Phong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,273 in Hai Phong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,879 in Hai Phong.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 94% more expensive than Hai Phong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Hai Phong 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.57 ₫41.3K

647.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$19.77 ₫519.6K

110.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.33 ₫113.9K

145.73%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.78 ₫46.8K

97.75%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.48 ₫12.7K

214.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.25 ₫6,510

288.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$0.74 ₫19.5K

298.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.55 ₫40.7K

187.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.41 ₫37.1K

-2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.58 ₫15.2K

225.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.92 ₫24.2K

78.26%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.52 ₫39.8K

65.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.14 ₫240.3K

-8.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.77 ₫99.0K

121.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.40 ₫220.8K

27.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.39 ₫89.0K

-23.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.01 ₫26.7K

44.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.64 ₫43.2K

15.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.09 ₫28.6K

90.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.04 ₫27.2K

71.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.01 ₫26.6K

116.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.56 ₫14.7K

85.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.52 ₫13.7K

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.22 ₫32.1K

234.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$12.40 ₫325.8K

-16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.78 ₫20.6K

119.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.83 ₫48.0K

40.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.42 ₫10.9K

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$5.92 ₫155.6K

346.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.73 ₫19.2K

346.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.57 ₫15.0K

336.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$1.66 ₫43.6K

95.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.86 ₫22.7K

52.33%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$38.5K ₫1.0B

-21.35%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$31.5K ₫828.9M

-25.73%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$37.58 ₫987.5K

120.52%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$5.26 ₫138.1K

322.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$8.71 ₫229.0K

236.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$22.87 ₫600.9K

125.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$7.60 ₫199.7K

141.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.73 ₫98.0K

35.92%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$268 ₫7.0M

-25.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$11.8K ₫311.2M

-56.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$44.91 ₫1.2M

-17.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$22.95 ₫603.0K

73.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$87.2 ₫2.3M

-10.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$73.5 ₫1.9M

18.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$402 ₫10.6M

142.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$243 ₫6.4M

92.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$685 ₫18.0M

139.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$864 ₫22.7M

41.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,831 ₫100.7M

3.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,513 ₫39.8M

329.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$493 ₫12.9M

34.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.99

90.65%

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 Hai Phong: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $402 in Hai Phong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 35% 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 $20.00 in Hai Phong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $182 per month, with Hai Phong 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 Hai Phong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Hai Phong differ by about 94% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $668 including rent). Hai Phong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 35% 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 $402 in Hai Phong. 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 $668 in Hai Phong – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Hai Phong runs roughly 347% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $668 in Hai Phong versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hai Phong but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Hai Phong 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 Hai Phong 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 Hai Phong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.