Cost of Living Comparison Between Asuncion and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Cost of Living Comparison Between Asuncion and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $773 per month in Asuncion vs $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,184 per month in Asuncion vs $1,300 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,596 per month in Asuncion vs $1,773 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

Asuncion is about 7% cheaper than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Asuncion and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) are more affordable than the global median – Asuncion 42% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.28 ₲26.1K

$2.03 ₫53.3K

110.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.53 ₲161.7K

$22.91 ₫602.2K

15.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 ₲28.7K

$4.69 ₫123.3K

0.43%

Cappuccino

$1.88 ₲11.5K

$1.69 ₫44.5K

11.24%

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

$0.82 ₲5,012

$0.50 ₫13.2K

64.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₲3,004

$0.28 ₫7,267

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 ₲8,664

$0.99 ₫26.0K

43.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ₲11.7K

$1.50 ₫39.3K

28.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 ₲5,135

$1.48 ₫38.9K

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₲6,094

$1.03 ₫27.0K

-2.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ₲6,056

$0.98 ₫25.9K

1.02%

Eggs

$1.58 ₲9,607

$1.41 ₫36.9K

12.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 ₲41.5K

$11.88 ₫312.3K

-42.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 ₲19.1K

$3.60 ₫94.7K

-13.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 ₲41.2K

$10.55 ₫277.4K

-35.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₲12.0K

$2.76 ₫72.6K

-28.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₲4,392

$1.10 ₫28.9K

-34.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 ₲5,673

$1.30 ₫34.1K

-28.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ₲10.0K

$1.16 ₫30.6K

42.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ₲6,463

$1.17 ₫30.7K

-9.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ₲6,856

$1.17 ₫30.9K

-3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₲3,357

$0.70 ₫18.4K

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₲3,396

$0.51 ₫13.4K

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ₲8,263

$1.27 ₫33.3K

7.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 ₲51.0K

$12.32 ₫323.8K

-32.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₲4,402

$0.85 ₫22.3K

-15.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₲8,515

$1.49 ₫39.1K

-6.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ₲2,691

$0.28 ₫7,437

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.15 ₲153.3K

$10.75 ₫282.6K

133.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₲3,665

$0.67 ₫17.7K

-10.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₲4,751

$0.69 ₫18.2K

13.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.61 ₲52.5K

$2.99 ₫78.7K

187.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 ₲5,331

$0.82 ₫21.7K

6.10%

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

$14.7K ₲89.6M

$37.5K ₫986.5M

-60.83%

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

$24.0K ₲146.4M

$33.6K ₫882.4M

-28.43%

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

$43.01 ₲262.1K

$84.8 ₫2.2M

-49.29%

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

$13.65 ₲83.2K

$6.06 ₫159.4K

125.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.92 ₲90.9K

$9.14 ₫240.3K

63.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.62 ₲168.3K

$20.73 ₫544.9K

33.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 ₲70.6K

$9.37 ₫246.5K

23.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 ₲30.1K

$4.26 ₫111.9K

15.96%

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

$163 ₲990.4K

$273 ₫7.2M

-40.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,228 ₲19.7M

$13.8K ₫362.4M

-76.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.74 ₲303.2K

$42.85 ₫1.1M

16.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.28 ₲190.7K

$27.36 ₫719.2K

14.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 ₲437.0K

$97.6 ₫2.6M

-26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 ₲318.6K

$87.1 ₫2.3M

-39.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₲2.4M

$526 ₫13.8M

-25.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 ₲1.8M

$307 ₫8.1M

-4.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ₲4.4M

$1,090 ₫28.7M

-33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ₲2.9M

$668 ₫17.6M

-28.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,687 ₲10.3M

$4,497 ₫118.2M

-62.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,220 ₲7.4M

$1,791 ₫47.1M

-31.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$647 ₲3.9M

$509 ₫13.4M

27.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

9.14

11.27%

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

Last update for Asuncion: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Asuncion versus $526 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). 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 27% higher in Asuncion, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Asuncion versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Groceries tell a different story – $149 in Asuncion vs $198 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – so Asuncion wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Asuncion vs Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,159 per month in Asuncion and $1,240 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 134% less in Asuncion. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $163 per month in Asuncion and $273 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $773 in Asuncion and $826 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Asuncion – 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 Asuncion. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.