Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quang Ngai and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Quang Ngai: $484 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Quang Ngai
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Quang Ngai Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Quang Ngai

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$484

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,202

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quang Ngai and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Quang Ngai and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $484 per month in Quang Ngai vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Quang Ngai $484
Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $751 per month in Quang Ngai vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Quang Ngai $751
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,019 per month in Quang Ngai vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Quang Ngai $1,019
Playa del Carmen $2,962

Quang Ngai is about 60% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Quang Ngai and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Quang Ngai 64% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.00 ₫25.8K

$10.67 MX$199

-90.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.32 ₫265.9K

$43.80 MX$815

-76.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₫123.2K

$11.79 MX$219

-59.46%

Cappuccino

$1.29 ₫33.1K

$3.79 MX$70.5

-65.96%

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

$0.32 ₫8,209

$1.30 MX$24.14

-75.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₫4,397

$0.83 MX$15.51

-79.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ₫35.7K

$3.15 MX$58.6

-55.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ₫38.0K

$4.93 MX$91.8

-69.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ₫40.9K

$1.41 MX$26.22

12.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 ₫10.5K

$2.20 MX$40.86

-81.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 ₫20.6K

$1.47 MX$27.40

-45.58%

Eggs

$1.49 ₫38.4K

$2.50 MX$46.47

-40.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₫194.0K

$7.29 MX$136

3.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 ₫100.8K

$7.95 MX$148

-50.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 ₫163.8K

$12.86 MX$239

-50.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₫49.0K

$2.90 MX$53.9

-34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 ₫14.5K

$1.38 MX$25.74

-59.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ₫34.8K

$2.49 MX$46.36

-45.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ₫34.7K

$2.03 MX$37.78

-33.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ₫30.9K

$2.02 MX$37.69

-40.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ₫24.5K

$1.90 MX$35.42

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 ₫8,298

$1.14 MX$21.30

-71.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₫12.5K

$1.24 MX$23.06

-60.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.1K

$4.27 MX$79.5

-70.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 ₫147.0K

$9.81 MX$183

-41.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₫15.0K

$1.59 MX$29.51

-63.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₫22.1K

$2.75 MX$51.1

-68.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₫9,416

$0.51 MX$9.58

-27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.72 ₫147.3K

$27.39 MX$510

-79.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₫15.5K

$4.76 MX$88.6

-87.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ₫9,783

$3.25 MX$60.5

-88.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ₫49.6K

$5.39 MX$100

-64.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₫20.5K

$1.53 MX$28.44

-47.71%

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

$30.8K ₫792.6M

$21.2K MX$394.8K

45.05%

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

$28.4K ₫731.1M

$23.3K MX$432.9K

21.99%

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

$66.1 ₫1.7M

$83.5 MX$1,554

-20.88%

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

$6.49 ₫167.1K

$23.19 MX$431

-72.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.65 ₫197.1K

$27.61 MX$514

-72.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.59 ₫247.0K

$56.4 MX$1,050

-83.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.75 ₫122.3K

$28.19 MX$525

-83.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 ₫89.4K

$5.00 MX$93.1

-30.60%

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

$136 ₫3.5M

$207 MX$3,854

-34.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,851 ₫99.2M

$5,231 MX$97.4K

-26.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.56 ₫194.7K

$43.45 MX$809

-82.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.66 ₫197.4K

$42.54 MX$792

-81.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ₫2.6M

$72.8 MX$1,354

40.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.65 ₫686.5K

$88.4 MX$1,645

-69.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₫4.6M

$995 MX$18.5K

-81.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$119 ₫3.1M

$382 MX$7,116

-68.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 ₫9.8M

$1,674 MX$31.2K

-77.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 ₫6.4M

$1,081 MX$20.1K

-77.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,909 MX$72.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,138 MX$114.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$219 ₫5.6M

$832 MX$15.5K

-73.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-38.86%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Quang Ngai: October 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Quang Ngai

$144 29.8%

Playa del Carmen

$257 21.4% 78.7% $113

Accommodation & Living

Quang Ngai

$119 24.6%

Playa del Carmen

$382 31.8% 221% $263

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quang Ngai

$80 16.6%

Playa del Carmen

$134 11.2% 67.4% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Quang Ngai

$65 13.4%

Playa del Carmen

$111 9.3% 71.3% $46

Eating Out

Quang Ngai

$50 10.3%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.7% 304% $151

Sport & Entertainment

Quang Ngai

$17 3.4%

Playa del Carmen

$66 5.5% 302% $50

Getting Around

Quang Ngai

$9.7 2%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 421% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $180 in Quang Ngai versus $995 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Playa del Carmen are about 3.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10 in Quang Ngai versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $144 vs $257 – making Quang Ngai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Quang Ngai

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

07:22 7:22 AM

19:22 7:22 PM

12 h behind Quang Ngai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

112,384

149,923

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.88 USD

100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR

100 MXN = 5.37 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to VND – Vietnamese Dong Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇻🇳 Vietnamese Dong (₫)

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 25,761 VND (100,000 VND = 3.88 USD). 1 EUR = 29,000 VND (100,000 VND = 3.45 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.95 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to VND in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Quang Ngai Playa del Carmen 15,680 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Quang Ngai
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Quang Ngai vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 148%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $726 per month in Quang Ngai and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quang Ngai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $180 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $484 in Quang Ngai and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Quang Ngai about 60% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 79% less in Quang Ngai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Quang Ngai, where all-in costs run around $484, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Quang Ngai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Quang Ngai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.