Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Binh Duong: $568 a month against $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

28

Cost of Living Index in Binh Duong
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Binh Duong Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
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Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Living Index

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Binh Duong

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$568

/mo nomad

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$859

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Binh Duong and in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Binh Duong and in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $568 in Binh Duong versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Binh Duong $568
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $859

Estimated couple costs with rent: $957 in Binh Duong versus $1,395 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Binh Duong $957
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,395

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,345 in Binh Duong versus $1,931 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Binh Duong $1,345
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) $1,931

Living in Binh Duong costs roughly 34% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Binh Duong 58% lower, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ₫50.9K

$1.91 ₫49.6K

2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.14 ₫599.0K

$22.84 ₫591.2K

1.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.51 ₫90.8K

$4.54 ₫117.6K

-22.69%

Cappuccino

$1.63 ₫42.3K

$1.85 ₫48.0K

-11.89%

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

$0.53 ₫13.6K

$0.56 ₫14.6K

-5.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,155

$0.32 ₫8,185

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 ₫18.7K

$1.06 ₫27.5K

-32.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₫25.3K

$1.72 ₫44.5K

-43.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₫42.2K

$1.66 ₫42.9K

-1.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 ₫19.7K

$1.11 ₫28.7K

-31.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 ₫15.7K

$1.00 ₫25.9K

-39.00%

Eggs

$1.46 ₫37.8K

$1.67 ₫43.1K

-12.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.39 ₫294.8K

$12.08 ₫312.8K

-5.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ₫87.3K

$3.68 ₫95.2K

-8.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 ₫262.0K

$10.24 ₫265.1K

-1.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₫55.5K

$2.96 ₫76.5K

-27.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 ₫15.5K

$1.24 ₫32.2K

-51.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.70 ₫18.2K

$1.56 ₫40.3K

-55.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.0K

$1.30 ₫33.6K

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.2K

$1.23 ₫31.9K

-23.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.0K

$1.15 ₫29.8K

-12.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ₫19.8K

$0.74 ₫19.1K

2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₫12.1K

$0.56 ₫14.4K

-16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.79 ₫20.5K

$1.24 ₫32.1K

-36.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.43 ₫244.1K

$12.60 ₫326.1K

-25.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₫15.4K

$0.96 ₫24.9K

-38.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₫26.1K

$1.53 ₫39.6K

-33.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,884

$0.26 ₫6,694

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.49 ₫168.0K

$11.51 ₫297.9K

-43.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 ₫10.3K

$0.75 ₫19.5K

-46.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.4K

$0.67 ₫17.4K

-10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ₫78.2K

$3.03 ₫78.5K

-0.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₫20.5K

$0.96 ₫24.8K

-17.71%

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

$31.1K ₫804.3M

0.00%

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

$31.1K ₫805.8M

$30.4K ₫785.9M

2.53%

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

$38.33 ₫992.3K

$102 ₫2.6M

-62.41%

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

$5.82 ₫150.7K

$5.89 ₫152.5K

-1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.40 ₫165.8K

$10.49 ₫271.6K

-38.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.46 ₫581.6K

$25.54 ₫661.2K

-12.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.47 ₫193.3K

$11.92 ₫308.5K

-37.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 ₫77.6K

$3.53 ₫91.3K

-15.01%

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

$383 ₫9.9M

$436 ₫11.3M

-12.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K ₫606.3M

$23.3K ₫602.8M

0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.35 ₫811.5K

$52.8 ₫1.4M

-40.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.63 ₫404.6K

$34.15 ₫884.1K

-54.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ₫2.0M

$90.3 ₫2.3M

-14.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 ₫1.8M

$95.0 ₫2.5M

-27.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 ₫6.6M

$589 ₫15.3M

-56.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 ₫4.2M

$298 ₫7.7M

-45.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 ₫15.7M

$1,292 ₫33.5M

-53.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₫9.9M

$711 ₫18.4M

-46.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,599 ₫41.4M

$4,676 ₫121.1M

-65.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$964 ₫24.9M

$1,904 ₫49.3M

-49.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$344 ₫8.9M

$490 ₫12.7M

-29.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.64

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

Last update for Binh Duong: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon): October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Binh Duong

$173 30.5%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$207 24.1% 19.6% $34

Accommodation & Living

Binh Duong

$163 28.7%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$298 34.7% 82.8% $135

Clothing & Footwear

Binh Duong

$87 15.3%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$122 14.3% 40.5% $35

Eating Out

Binh Duong

$55 9.6%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$63 7.4% 16.2% $8.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Binh Duong

$51 8.9%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$118 13.8% 134% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Binh Duong

$28 5%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$33 3.8% 14.5% $4.1

Getting Around

Binh Duong

$11 2%

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

$17 1.9% 48.1% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Binh Duong and $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) pays 42% 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: $23.00 in Binh Duong vs $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $207 per month, with Binh Duong cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇻🇳 Binh Duong

🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🕒 Local time

21:26 9:26 PM

Same time as Binh Duong

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

373,105

9,456,700

💱 Currency

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Binh Duong Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 23 km

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Binh Duong
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Binh Duong and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($568 vs $859 including rent). Binh Duong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $255 in Binh Duong versus $589 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Binh Duong – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $23.00 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $568 per month in Binh Duong versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $568 in Binh Duong versus $859 in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Binh Duong but tight or insufficient in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The gap between the two cities makes Binh Duong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Binh Duong and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 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 Binh Duong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.