Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,095 in Ames, IA versus $704 in Da Nang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,171 in Ames, IA versus $1,081 in Da Nang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,246 in Ames, IA versus $1,458 in Da Nang.

Living in Ames, IA is roughly 198% more expensive than in Da Nang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ames, IA is 57% above, Da Nang is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 $17.67

$1.93 ₫50.8K

815.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.18 $45.18

$19.46 ₫511.6K

132.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 $9.17

$4.65 ₫122.2K

97.20%

Cappuccino

$5.29 $5.29

$1.61 ₫42.3K

228.57%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$0.51 ₫13.4K

296.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.29 ₫7,592

517.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.07 ₫28.2K

184.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 $7.01

$1.59 ₫41.7K

340.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.38 ₫36.3K

-26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$0.95 ₫24.9K

280.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.17 ₫30.7K

160.68%

Eggs

$3.20 $3.20

$1.43 ₫37.5K

123.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 $9.55

$12.59 ₫331.0K

-24.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.58 $11.58

$3.64 ₫95.8K

218.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 $14.26

$9.79 ₫257.3K

45.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.76 ₫72.4K

80.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$0.94 ₫24.8K

23.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$1.12 ₫29.4K

404.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$1.05 ₫27.6K

385.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.10 ₫28.9K

260.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.19 ₫31.4K

217.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.00 ₫26.3K

102.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.48 ₫12.7K

297.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.18 $9.18

$1.38 ₫36.3K

565.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 $16.12

$7.52 ₫197.8K

114.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.81 ₫21.4K

109.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$1.60 ₫42.1K

186.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.32 ₫8,321

381.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.34 $48.34

$3.73 ₫98.2K

1195.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 $5.07

$0.82 ₫21.5K

518.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.69 ₫18.3K

105.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.06 $49.06

$12.03 ₫316.4K

307.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.91 ₫24.0K

-4.40%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.2K ₫715.2M

-6.49%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$28.1K ₫739.3M

-10.35%

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

$193 $193

$74.1 ₫1.9M

160.45%

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

$48.88 $48.88

$5.97 ₫157.0K

718.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.8 $72.8

$8.07 ₫212.3K

802.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.1 $69.1

$20.06 ₫527.5K

244.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.83 $19.83

$7.52 ₫197.6K

163.70%

Cinema Ticket

$14.02 $14.02

$3.00 ₫78.9K

367.33%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$153 ₫4.0M

852.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K $30.4K

$12.8K ₫336.9M

137.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.41 $39.41

$39.61 ₫1.0M

-0.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.67 $42.67

$25.60 ₫673.1K

66.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 $84.2

$52.7 ₫1.4M

59.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$76.9 ₫2.0M

50.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 $989

$365 ₫9.6M

171.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 $814

$244 ₫6.4M

233.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 $1,904

$732 ₫19.2M

160.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 $1,667

$458 ₫12.0M

264.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 $2,363

$3,767 ₫99.0M

-37.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,255 $2,255

$1,304 ₫34.3M

72.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,584 $3,584

$359 ₫9.4M

898.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

10.67

-43.58%

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

Last update for Ames, IA: July 11, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $989 in Ames, IA and $365 in Da Nang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 898% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Ames, IA vs $19.00 in Da Nang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $186 per month, with Da Nang cheaper across the board.

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

Ames, IA vs Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Da Nang wins on cost – living expenses run 198% lower than in Ames, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Da Nang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 898% higher in Ames, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $989 in Ames, IA versus $365 in Da Nang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Da Nang runs roughly 1196% less than in Ames, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,458 in Ames, IA versus $153 in Da Nang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $704 in Da Nang versus $2,095 in Ames, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Da Nang but tight or insufficient in Ames, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Da Nang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Da Nang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $704 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Da Nang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ames, IA and Da Nang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Da Nang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 198% less than in Ames, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.