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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $466 per month in Bac Ninh vs $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A couple spends around $740 per month in Bac Ninh vs $1,385 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,014 per month in Bac Ninh vs $1,920 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent included.

Bac Ninh is about 45% cheaper than Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bac Ninh and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) are more affordable than the global median – Bac Ninh 66% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.14 ₫29.7K

$2.14 ₫55.8K

-46.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.82 ₫542.7K

$22.91 ₫597.3K

-9.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.49 ₫65.0K

$4.67 ₫121.9K

-46.68%

Cappuccino

$1.18 ₫30.8K

$1.78 ₫46.3K

-33.71%

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

$0.26 ₫6,711

$0.53 ₫13.8K

-50.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ₫5,567

$0.35 ₫9,013

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 ₫17.3K

$1.17 ₫30.6K

-42.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₫25.9K

$1.66 ₫43.3K

-40.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ₫38.9K

$1.57 ₫41.0K

-5.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₫24.7K

$1.04 ₫27.1K

-8.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₫21.3K

$1.00 ₫26.1K

-18.00%

Eggs

$1.43 ₫37.3K

$1.61 ₫42.0K

-11.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 ₫273.9K

$12.27 ₫319.8K

-14.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 ₫101.7K

$3.54 ₫92.2K

10.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 ₫263.3K

$10.43 ₫271.8K

-3.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 ₫81.6K

$3.12 ₫81.3K

0.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.7K

$1.28 ₫33.2K

-17.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 ₫36.5K

$1.62 ₫42.1K

-13.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₫29.6K

$1.21 ₫31.5K

-5.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ₫25.2K

$1.22 ₫31.9K

-20.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.3K

$1.19 ₫31.1K

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₫15.5K

$0.72 ₫18.7K

-18.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.4K

$0.51 ₫13.2K

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.43 ₫37.3K

$1.25 ₫32.5K

14.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.69 ₫330.9K

$12.47 ₫325.0K

1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₫23.1K

$0.93 ₫24.4K

-4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₫41.4K

$1.48 ₫38.5K

7.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₫9,551

$0.28 ₫7,359

32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ₫295.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₫20.8K

$0.69 ₫18.0K

15.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.7K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₫58.4K

$3.09 ₫80.5K

-27.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫21.9K

$0.94 ₫24.5K

-10.64%

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

$30.5K ₫795.8M

$30.8K ₫802.5M

-0.84%

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

$30.5K ₫794.6M

$30.6K ₫797.2M

-0.33%

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

$82.2 ₫2.1M

$101 ₫2.6M

-18.74%

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

$5.18 ₫135.0K

$5.95 ₫155.0K

-12.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.69 ₫174.5K

$10.16 ₫264.9K

-34.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.33 ₫295.5K

$24.64 ₫642.4K

-54.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.86 ₫204.8K

$11.67 ₫304.3K

-32.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 ₫81.7K

$3.54 ₫92.4K

-11.58%

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

$691 ₫18.0M

$464 ₫12.1M

48.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₫327.8M

$22.7K ₫592.2M

-44.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.76 ₫1.3M

$51.7 ₫1.3M

-5.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.72 ₫696.6K

$34.93 ₫910.5K

-23.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 ₫2.2M

$90.7 ₫2.4M

-8.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 ₫2.2M

$92.7 ₫2.4M

-10.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₫18.2M

$582 ₫15.2M

19.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 ₫7.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 ₫33.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ₫17.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,634 ₫42.6M

$4,704 ₫122.6M

-65.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 ₫19.8M

$1,909 ₫49.8M

-60.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 ₫9.8M

$488 ₫12.7M

-23.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.45

8.64

-2.20%

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

Last update for Bac Ninh: September 1, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $697 in Bac Ninh versus $582 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 30% higher in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), 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 $21.00 in Bac Ninh versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $206 – making Bac Ninh 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

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

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) costs about 83% more than Bac Ninh, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $698 per month in Bac Ninh and $1,275 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 Bac Ninh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Bac Ninh and $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bac Ninh, where all-in costs run around $466, than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) at $850. In Bac Ninh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bac Ninh costs $466 versus $850 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bac Ninh. 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.