Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Quy Nhon City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Quy Nhon City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $664 in Quy Nhon City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,012 in Quy Nhon City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,360 in Quy Nhon City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 95% more than Quy Nhon City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Quy Nhon City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Quy Nhon City 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Quy Nhon City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$203
$1.87 ₫49.2K
527.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62 MX$720
$13.54 ₫355.6K
207.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.64 MX$184
$4.31 ₫113.2K
146.87%
Cappuccino
$3.52 MX$60.9
$1.12 ₫29.5K
214.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.12
$0.79 ₫20.8K
91.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$16.84
$0.41 ₫10.7K
136.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.0
$0.87 ₫22.9K
239.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45 MX$77.0
$1.12 ₫29.4K
297.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Quy Nhon City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.93
$1.32 ₫34.8K
4.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 MX$32.72
$0.82 ₫21.6K
130.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 MX$28.32
$1.28 ₫33.5K
28.12%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.34
$1.50 ₫39.5K
67.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.34 MX$144
$11.60 ₫304.7K
-28.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 MX$144
$3.19 ₫83.9K
161.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.73 MX$186
$10.58 ₫277.9K
1.42%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 MX$45.04
$3.15 ₫82.8K
-17.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 MX$25.20
$0.85 ₫22.3K
71.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 MX$32.87
$1.28 ₫33.7K
48.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$35.91
$0.89 ₫23.5K
133.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 MX$30.71
$1.02 ₫26.8K
74.51%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$37.80
$0.84 ₫22.1K
160.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 MX$17.99
$0.63 ₫16.4K
65.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.62
$0.73 ₫19.1K
47.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08 MX$70.6
$1.37 ₫36.0K
197.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.32 MX$178
$7.66 ₫201.2K
34.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 MX$29.61
$0.74 ₫19.4K
131.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 MX$44.54
$1.04 ₫27.4K
148.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Quy Nhon City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.81
$0.34 ₫8,967
50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.46 MX$458
$6.66 ₫175.1K
297.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 MX$56.4
$0.90 ₫23.5K
262.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.49 MX$43.09
$0.48 ₫12.7K
418.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 MX$56.2
$2.70 ₫71.0K
20.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.61
$1.07 ₫28.0K
22.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K MX$523.7K
$34.9K ₫917.8M
-13.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$405.3K
$32.0K ₫841.6M
-26.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Quy Nhon City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.9 MX$1,433
$75.2 ₫2.0M
10.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22 MX$384
$5.72 ₫150.2K
288.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34 MX$507
$6.61 ₫173.8K
343.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Quy Nhon City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$893
$16.35 ₫429.6K
215.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32 MX$317
$7.57 ₫199.0K
142.01%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 MX$87.6
$3.31 ₫87.0K
53.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Quy Nhon City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,473
$271 ₫7.1M
-25.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,212 MX$90.1K
$11.7K ₫307.4M
-55.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Quy Nhon City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92 MX$639
$32.05 ₫842.1K
15.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79 MX$688
$28.18 ₫740.4K
41.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.5 MX$1,357
$87.7 ₫2.3M
-10.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1 MX$1,506
$67.0 ₫1.8M
30.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Quy Nhon City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$973 MX$16.8K
$329 ₫8.6M
195.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 MX$8,090
$209 ₫5.5M
124.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 MX$28.4K
$506 ₫13.3M
224.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,221 MX$21.1K
$353 ₫9.3M
246.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,946 MX$68.3K
$3,868 ₫101.6M
2.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,498 MX$112.4K
$1,515 ₫39.8M
328.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Quy Nhon City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 MX$11.5K
$307 ₫8.1M
116.06%
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 Quy Nhon City: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $329 in Quy Nhon City. 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 116% 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 $14.00 in Quy Nhon City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $183 – making Quy Nhon City 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 Quy Nhon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quy Nhon City cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $996 in Quy Nhon City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Quy Nhon City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Quy Nhon City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $664 in Quy Nhon City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 297% less in Quy Nhon City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Quy Nhon City?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quy Nhon City, where all-in costs run around $664, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Quy Nhon City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Quy Nhon City more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Quy Nhon City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Quy Nhon City?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Quy Nhon City. 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.

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