Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Phan Thiet Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Phan Thiet

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $622 in Phan Thiet, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $984 in Phan Thiet, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,347 in Phan Thiet, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 104% more than Phan Thiet, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Phan Thiet are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Phan Thiet 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.58 ₫67.6K

360.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$21.30 ₫559.1K

101.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.89 ₫102.1K

173.78%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.02 ₫26.9K

238.24%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.41 ₫10.9K

265.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.24 ₫6,333

295.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$0.62 ₫16.2K

388.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.17 ₫30.8K

294.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.22 ₫32.0K

13.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.37 ₫9,628

400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.93 ₫24.4K

73.12%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.16 ₫30.5K

123.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$15.04 ₫394.7K

-45.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.08 ₫80.7K

171.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.26 ₫216.7K

29.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.84 ₫48.2K

42.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.73 ₫19.3K

104.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.35 ₫35.5K

42.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.99 ₫25.9K

111.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.62 ₫16.3K

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.66 ₫17.4K

242.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.56 ₫14.8K

89.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.52 ₫13.6K

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.51 ₫39.6K

174.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.40 ₫246.8K

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.40 ₫10.4K

330.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.45 ₫38.1K

80.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.32 ₫8,398

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$6.34 ₫166.3K

324.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.40 ₫10.4K

682.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.60 ₫15.9K

318.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.75 ₫72.2K

14.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.91 ₫23.9K

39.56%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$21.2K ₫556.0M

43.39%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$41.0K ₫1.1B

-42.47%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$43.64 ₫1.1M

90.19%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$5.92 ₫155.5K

283.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$9.14 ₫239.9K

222.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$21.35 ₫560.5K

138.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$7.51 ₫197.0K

144.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.90 ₫76.0K

70.00%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$287 ₫7.5M

-31.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$11.5K ₫301.5M

-54.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$22.69 ₫595.7K

62.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$23.39 ₫614.0K

70.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$38.71 ₫1.0M

106.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$57.0 ₫1.5M

57.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$357 ₫9.4M

167.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$250 ₫6.6M

90.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$689 ₫18.1M

138.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$473 ₫12.4M

158.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$3,789 ₫99.5M

3.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,301 ₫34.2M

396.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Phan Thiet: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $357 in Phan Thiet. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Phan Thiet. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $169 – making Phan Thiet 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 Phan Thiet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $622 in Phan Thiet – roughly 104% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $933 in Phan Thiet. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $287 in Phan Thiet. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Phan Thiet, where all-in costs run around $622, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Phan Thiet it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $622 in Phan Thiet to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Phan Thiet. 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.