Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Vung Tau Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Vung Tau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $580 in Vung Tau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $940 in Vung Tau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,301 in Vung Tau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 119% more than Vung Tau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vung Tau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Vung Tau 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.96 ₫51.4K

505.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$14.84 ₫389.4K

189.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.48 ₫117.6K

137.72%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.69 ₫44.3K

104.14%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.49 ₫12.8K

206.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.30 ₫7,919

216.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$0.63 ₫16.6K

380.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.47 ₫38.5K

213.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.53 ₫40.3K

-9.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.02 ₫26.7K

81.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.71 ₫18.7K

126.76%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.47 ₫38.5K

76.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.87 ₫180.4K

20.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.58 ₫94.0K

133.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$3.81 ₫100.1K

179.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.23 ₫58.6K

17.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.05 ₫27.5K

41.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.92 ₫24.2K

108.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.07 ₫28.0K

95.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.08 ₫28.2K

72.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.04 ₫27.4K

117.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.57 ₫14.9K

85.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.48 ₫12.6K

127.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.23 ₫32.3K

237.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$12.62 ₫331.2K

-17.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.81 ₫21.2K

112.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.09 ₫28.6K

139.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.35 ₫9,082

54.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$6.56 ₫172.1K

310.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.67 ₫17.6K

367.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.61 ₫16.0K

311.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$3.10 ₫81.3K

1.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.81 ₫21.2K

56.79%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$37.0K ₫971.1M

-17.90%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.6K ₫883.2M

-29.96%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$37.46 ₫983.3K

121.57%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.63 ₫121.4K

390.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$7.43 ₫195.0K

296.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$15.29 ₫401.5K

233.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$7.70 ₫202.2K

138.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.19 ₫83.7K

54.55%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$275 ₫7.2M

-28.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$13.9K ₫365.8M

-62.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$19.50 ₫511.8K

89.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$21.46 ₫563.4K

85.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$98.4 ₫2.6M

-18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$85.1 ₫2.2M

5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$262 ₫6.9M

265.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$188 ₫4.9M

153.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$702 ₫18.4M

134.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$420 ₫11.0M

191.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$7,284 ₫191.2M

-46.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$4,381 ₫115.0M

47.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$563 ₫14.8M

18.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.14

24.95%

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 Vung Tau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 in Vung Tau. 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 18% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Vung Tau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $155 – making Vung Tau 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 Vung Tau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 119%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $870 in Vung Tau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $580 in Vung Tau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 311% less in Vung Tau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Vung Tau, where all-in costs run around $580, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Vung Tau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vung Tau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Vung Tau. 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.