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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $576 per month in Vung Tau vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $937 per month in Vung Tau vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,298 per month in Vung Tau vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Vung Tau is about 55% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vung Tau and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Vung Tau 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 ₫53.8K

$11.94 MX$208

-82.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.78 ₫388.2K

$42.75 MX$744

-65.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.48 ₫117.5K

$10.59 MX$184

-57.70%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₫46.6K

$3.62 MX$63.0

-50.83%

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

$0.48 ₫12.6K

$1.47 MX$25.54

-67.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₫7,898

$0.94 MX$16.41

-68.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 ₫16.2K

$3.09 MX$53.8

-79.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₫38.4K

$4.46 MX$77.6

-67.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ₫40.0K

$1.43 MX$24.80

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ₫27.0K

$1.88 MX$32.79

-45.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 ₫17.5K

$1.63 MX$28.34

-58.90%

Eggs

$1.41 ₫37.0K

$2.64 MX$45.99

-46.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 ₫183.8K

$8.21 MX$143

-14.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.5K

$8.29 MX$144

-56.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.88 ₫101.8K

$11.10 MX$193

-65.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 ₫61.3K

$2.65 MX$46.14

-12.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.6K

$1.50 MX$26.11

-30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 ₫26.3K

$1.99 MX$34.59

-49.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.8K

$2.08 MX$36.13

-50.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₫27.1K

$1.79 MX$31.11

-42.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.4K

$2.18 MX$37.87

-52.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₫14.6K

$1.08 MX$18.73

-48.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.3K

$1.04 MX$18.04

-50.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 ₫33.5K

$3.97 MX$69.1

-67.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 ₫328.2K

$10.20 MX$178

22.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₫21.5K

$1.73 MX$30.04

-52.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₫30.0K

$2.50 MX$43.46

-54.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,347

$0.52 MX$9.02

-38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.43 ₫169.0K

$26.97 MX$469

-76.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₫18.5K

$3.14 MX$54.7

-77.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₫15.2K

$2.40 MX$41.80

-75.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 ₫80.2K

$3.09 MX$53.7

-1.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₫23.1K

$1.27 MX$22.16

-30.71%

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

$38.0K ₫998.8M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

23.16%

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

$34.3K ₫901.8M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

47.28%

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

$37.40 ₫982.2K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-54.40%

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

$4.53 ₫118.9K

$22.45 MX$391

-79.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.34 ₫192.7K

$29.66 MX$516

-75.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.18 ₫398.7K

$51.9 MX$903

-70.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.74 ₫203.3K

$18.67 MX$325

-58.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.18 ₫83.6K

$4.97 MX$86.5

-36.02%

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

$274 ₫7.2M

$198 MX$3,442

38.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₫369.1M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

166.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.26 ₫505.9K

$36.34 MX$632

-47.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.90 ₫549.0K

$40.05 MX$697

-47.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ₫2.5M

$79.9 MX$1,390

20.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.4 ₫2.3M

$88.9 MX$1,547

-1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₫7.1M

$963 MX$16.8K

-72.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 ₫4.9M

$465 MX$8,086

-60.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₫17.8M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-57.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 ₫11.1M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-65.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,289 ₫191.4M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

84.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,313 ₫113.3M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-33.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$561 ₫14.7M

$720 MX$12.5K

-22.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.14

11.42

-19.96%

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

Last update for Vung Tau: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $269 in Vung Tau versus $963 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 run about 28% 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 $15.00 in Vung Tau versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $251 – 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

Vung Tau vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 123%, 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 $864 per month in Vung Tau and $1,930 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 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 $576 in Vung Tau and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 319% 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 $576, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.