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Da Nang vs Playa del Carmen cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Da Nang
๐ฒ๐ฝ Playa del Carmen
At a glance
- Where Da Nang is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (83%โ), Local meal (80%โ), Scooter rental (79%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Playa del Carmen is easier to travel (2.4 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: language โ Da Nang 3 vs Playa del Carmen 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Da Nang | Playa del Carmen | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 50,000$1.9 | MX$ 180$9.68 | Da Nang โ80% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 35,000$1.33 | MX$ 81$4.35 | Da Nang โ69% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 250,000$9.51 | MX$ 550$29.6 | Da Nang โ68% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 45,000$1.71 | MX$ 70$3.76 | Da Nang โ55% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 30,000$1.14 | MX$ 70$3.76 | Da Nang โ70% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 120,000$4.56 | MX$ 170$9.14 | Da Nang โ50% |
| Bottled water | โซ 7,000$0.27 | MX$ 16$0.86 | Da Nang โ69% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 15,000$0.57 | MX$ 25$1.34 | Da Nang โ58% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 60,000$2.28 | MX$ 120$6.45 | Da Nang โ65% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 25,000$0.95 | MX$ 80$4.3 | Da Nang โ78% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 8,000$0.3 | MX$ 15$0.81 | Da Nang โ62% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 150,000$5.7 | MX$ 500$26.9 | Da Nang โ79% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 800,000$30.4 | MX$ 2,500$134 | Da Nang โ77% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 9,000,000$342 | MX$ 16,000$860 | Da Nang โ60% |
| Laundry | โซ 30,000$1.14 | MX$ 30$1.61 | Da Nang โ29% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 200,000$7.6 | MX$ 200$10.8 | Da Nang โ29% |
| Haircutcut | โซ 80,000$3.04 | MX$ 150$8.06 | Da Nang โ62% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 300,000$11.4 | MX$ 600$32.3 | Da Nang โ65% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 550,000$20.9 | MX$ 900$48.4 | Da Nang โ57% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 60,000$2.28 | MX$ 250$13.4 | Da Nang โ83% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Da Nang or Playa del Carmen?
Da Nang is 70% cheaper than Playa del Carmen. Daily budget $56.5 vs $223; a month $1,303 vs $3,584.
Which is easier to travel, Da Nang or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is easier: Playa del Carmen 2.4/5 vs Da Nang 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Da Nang and Playa del Carmen?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Da Nang is about $1,303 and Playa del Carmen about $3,584 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.